House Work

From Spinach and Yoga.

About a year ago, I was away from home for three or four days. Piglet was in school and I made arrangements for her to go to various friends afterwards. I set out all the clothes needed before I left. I made a list with details of what the Fella should feed himself, the two of them, on which days; who she was with on any given day and their contact numbers; a few domestic tasks which I asked the Fella to undertake in my absence. (Thursday: Put out bins!)

I was tempted to blog about how ridiculous it was to make this list for a grown man. Then I had a rethink.

Available from Abe Books

The Sporting Piglet

From Playing with Pigs

Yesterday Piglet came out of school and said: "You have to get me shin guards for tomorrow."

I do not like to hear a piglet say "you have to," without some honorific title, I prefer something like: "O noble mater familias who bore me amid unbelievable pain and suffering and has nurtured me at considerable cost to your social life ever since, I beg of you humbly on my knees ..."

The Sandwich Generation

From CareStation

They call us the sandwich generation. We are the ones who care simultaneously for elderly relatives and young children. It feels like a personal struggle sometimes. It comes from a number of sociological phenomena.

London Excursion

James McNeill Whistler:
Nocturne: The Thames at Battersea

As Piglet is of that age when she can appreciate such things, we took her up to London for a few days, and I thought I would note here some helpful tips for others intending to head up to the big smoke.

Depression is the pits

From Micah Sparacio's blogpost
10 Ways to Fight Depression

When I say I was in therapy for ten years, people often exclaim in surprise: "You're the last person I would have thought needed therapy." I say, "Yeah! that's cuz I've done it!" 

Part-time work (full time play!)

This image from a graduate jobs 
website, illustrates their part-time 
page. The page is aimed at
students looking to supplement their
grant rather than people who
might choose to work part-time. 

I was interested to see this article by Zoe Williams on part-time work in The Guardian yesterday, as I've long thought part-time work could be the answer to many problems. I'm always surprised that organisations like The Work Foundation seem to have so little to say about part-time working. 

June in Bloom Excursion (Taff Trail)

Wild rose by the station carpark

(The Taff Trail is a wide tarmac path on this stretch, although barriers to stop bicycles freewheeling all the way down to Cardiff mean it's not always easily wheelchair or pushchair accessible. It's suitable for all ages of children.)

A good walk with a superb pub in striking distance, this excursion is an excellent stretching of the legs. On the way up, there is a slight incline to make your muscles work harder. To meander more gently downhill as you come back down is proper.