Feminine Financial Planning

I'm ambivalent about advice on investing. On the one hand, I don't want to prop up the markets with my money when I'm reluctantly more and more convinced by Marxist feminist arguments that women are materially oppressed through capitalism. (Rather than articulated as heterodox in discourse, as my postmodern leanings suggest.) 

On the other hand ... I was on my way to teach once, when a bloke came up and asked if he could have the Money section of my FT Weekend. Now at that time, I never read the Money section, automatically assuming it had nothing in it I would be interested in. I focussed on the How To Spend It magazine. (I adore this magazine because it doesn't have things in it I can afford to buy. I can safely browse through it, saying to myself: "Gosh, diamonds are so unfashionable, what a good thing I haven't got many. This is a pretty feather cocktail dress, mmmm - only £1,785.00!") Still, I resented the fact that the guy took one look at me and articulated me as someone not likely to be checking out how her stocks and shares were doing.

Duffryn Gardens (and house)

Actually I wanted to go to the beach. It was Piglet who asked if we could go to Duffryn Gardens. 

When we first started going, about ten years ago, the house and gardens were just at the start of a major restoration programme. It's been great fun to see how they slowly blossom (ho ho!) with the work that's being done to bring them back to their former glories. 

I'm minded to make our trip the subject of a blogpost because the gardens are so family friendly. 

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. 

Healthy Relationships Education

Advice sheet for parents
from All Wales 
Sexual Health Network

In another life, I do research on identity politics and equalities. My most recent project was a study of government policy on Sex and Relationships Education. I had a great opportunity to go and present on this work to my local Labour Women's Group. We had a good discussion about why education in schools should consider supporting children's growing social skills and self-esteem, as well as their 3 'R's.

Safe Surfing for Piglets

Uh I didn't actually mean Zorro the Surfing Piglet, LOL. What I'm looking at here are some of the issues I faced as Piglet took to the World Wide Web.

Wild Garlic Pestou

I tootled off on my bike today to get some wild garlic to make pestou. I have long suspected that there is a short cut from the school down to the Taff Trail and today I found it! so now I can frequently wave goodbye to Piglet, assuring her that she is having the best time of her life, then leg it hurriedly off to have the best time of my life. 

(Gosh, sometimes I still wake up and say to myself: "Thank God I don't have to go to school any more.")

An iron will

Right. Now the cupboard is tidy (ish), it's time for the ironing .... Urrrrghh.

Waterfall Country

I find it often takes three goes to do something properly, or three days. (Or four if you stop for chocolate.) Going on an excursion involves:
1) Thinking about it and even setting off to try and get there while en route to somewhere-else but realising you don't know the way.
2) Looking it up on the map and setting off, but you are not quite sure how interesting it will be/how long the journey will take, so you don't get the full experience on that occasion.
3) OK, now we know enough about it to go and allow the proper time to do the whole number. We know what clothes we will need, how long to expect to be away from the kitty-cats and, most important, what provisions to take and what refreshments are likely to be available on the spot. We are motivated to check out all the information available from various websites, and we know enough from our personal experience to tell what the information means and which bits of it are useful.

Easter Bunnies

Egg and chips

(See Mrs. Beeton for oeuf en cocotte recipe and go here for how to cook chips.)

Cupboard Love

Stage 1

Gah, can't believe how long it has taken to clear out one cupboard! I had this foolish dream that I would have the whole thing sorted in a couple of hours and be able to spend a pleasurable afternoon on my blog or something. Yah, yah, I should've just thrown everything in the bin, not tried to sort out things which are still useful and can go to charity.