Be still . . . and welcome in the Friday

Picture this, there's a calm, clear, pale blue cloudless spring sky, the air is fresh but not at all cold. The gentle call of a Cuckoo can be heard in the distance, and quiet birdsong is all around supplying a backing symphony. Aside from that all is still and quiet. Now the camera of the minds eye pans down slowly showing green crested rolling hills in the distance and lush green grass all around and a bumble bee with it's low buzzing is meandering its way across our field of vision to alight on the lilac flower of a thistle. Now gently and quietly at first the soundtrack comes in, Ludwig Van Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy' from Symphony No. 9 in D minor starts to play by way of a flute before the full orchestration joins in. There's a gentle breeze brushing against your face as the pale spring sun slowly appears and makes it's way lazily over the horizon. The camera pans slowly to the right revealing a whispering steam making it's path through the landscape where a young deer is bowing it's head to take a drink from it's banks. Baby rabbits are hopping their way past it to make an early morning meal of the dandelion leaves that frequent the side of the stream and just beyond them excited lambs playfully cavort around their mother each taking it's turn to dash round around her and leap without care kicking it's legs from the top of a small grassy ridge into the air.

Ahhh, if only all mornings could be like that. Sadly mine has started by once again coming into work at 5:00am. Although there is light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully things will be back on an even keel come Monday. But never mind all that, we still have a wonderful and glorious FRIDAY to achieve! HUZZAH! Yes some of us may well be busy and rushing about today, but the inner excitement of Friday will still be upon us. The little spark of Friday joy will gently nest itself in the pit of our stomach and throughout the day remind us that the weekend it nearly upon us once again.

I am of course planning to get all the Friday goodness I can, out of the day y having as much Friday as possible. There's another benefit in being up and about so early, you get to have even more Friday! I will even be attempting to burn the candle at both ends today, as myself and my number 1 partner in crime, shall be hitting the town this very evening in an effort to get even MORE of the Fridayness feeling and maybe even attempt some embarrassing dance moves! (Anyone who has ever seen me ever properly go for it on the dance floor will know exactly what I mean) What I lack in style I make up for in enthusiasm, the good Lady Tidy always says. So hopefully there shall me merriment and cavorting and plenty of it! Oh and maybe a few games of pool before hand. HUZZAH!

Anyone of course is always welcome to hunt us down and join with our mission of seeking unbridled frivolity should they wish, but please do should you feel the inclination. (I do beg your pardon!! Did you just feel my inclination!! How very dare you!) haha!

Oh I'm sorry, I think I may of lost it already! Not that I've ever really had it of course! Still whatever you do with your, do it with joy and do the joy with gusto I say. See all you blessed little sunbeams of loveliness on Monday! If of course I don't see you before!

It really doesn't matter if it's rain or stormy weather . . .

Good mornington and welcome to you on this rather damp and miserable Friday Eve. Yes! It's Friday Eve already! I do LOVE these short weeks after the bank hols. Well I managed to wake up for my second stint at the 5:00am work club. My body even allowed me to go to sleep at a reasonably sensible time last night as well, which is a bonus. I was even in the position of being able to crack on with stuff when I got into work today, hence I'm only writing my morning monologue (eww, 'monologue' there's a nasty sounding word that conjures all kinds of mental pictures . . . eww) sorry I may of put you off your breakie there. Sorry as I was saying, hence I'm only writing my morning . . . ahem . . . monologue now. Still write it I shall as the big lovely printer seems to be quite happy to do things at the moment.

I know, it's grey and dank and drizzly and a bit anti-cyclonic gloom out there, but it's on days like this that I like to cast my mind back to school days and the fun that was a 'wet weather break' I loved wet weather breaks! Sitting in the classroom with all your chums playing games or drawing pictures or combining the two and all generally being rather noisy about it. Of course it was even better on those days when there was full on thunder and lightning! Although there was always one child who was properly scared by it and had spent their time crying and sitting with the teacher. They always felt a bit like the same atmosphere you used to get on the last day of term before Christmas, where everyone would bring in there board games. I always envied the people who had such marvelous games as MB's I Vant to Bite Your Finger or GhostCastle. To me they were the pinnacle of the board based game. At the time all I could muster in the fun game department was 'Mr. Clobber' or Frustration with it's pop-o-matic dice!

Still, what I am trying to say is let's not get all down, depressed and frustrated just because the weather is a bit icky and frankly not what it should be at this time of year. The secret is to just try and associate something a bit gloomy with a good memory that will make you smile. That way, even when it's grey and cold, our smiles beam bright and bold. Ahh I feel better already! Chins up chickens, and all i'll you on The Blessed Friday.

Maybe it's a little early?

Good morning to you! Yes I know it is a little early, but needs must! and it would appear clients needs are even greater than my needs to sleep! Still there really is nothing like starting work at 5:00am to get the old blood pumping. Even if my body disagreed with that statement when my alarm went off at silly o'clock this morning. Of course the trouble was, that last night I knew I had a really REALLY early start, so my brain went into worry mode as I laid in bed trying to drift off into slumberland. (that's sleep by the way not the well know bed manufacturers who are based in Huntington, Staffordshire) So as brain was set in worry mode it did what most brains would do and stopped me dropping off. Thankfully I did manage to just about achieve some sleep eventually, although I can't help but feel my brain will more or less shut down at around 3:00 this afternoon. (No! don't say 'well no change there then!' RUDE!)

Now you may ask, 'well if you have SO much to do and are in SO early how come you're not busying yourself with doing stuff rather than sitting on here waffling on about it?!' A good question. Well the truth is that I arrived at 5:00 to discover the printer was happily churning things out already and has still got a few things to do before it finishes it's current churning. You see a colleague of mine, let's call him Dave . . . for that is his name. Was burning the candle at the other end last night and came back around midnight to set the printer going and hope it behaved itself until I got in. Although I think he thought it may of finished churning it's current batch by the time I arrived. Sadly it still hasn't quite, so an extra half hour in bed this morning would of been entirely possible!

Still mustn't grumble, I have my coffee and I don't really mind early starts. Plus I have been told that to make up for the fact of coming in at Stupid O'Clock means that I can leave stupidly early this afternoon too! So Huzzah! Huzzah and thrice Huzzah for me! Right, well, must crack-a-doodle on with things I suppose, once more onto the breach dear friends. (Hmmm wouldn't that be so much nicer if it was 'Once more onto the beach dear friends')

Toodles!

Rested and ready

Morning! Yes it IS morning I'm afraid and yes it IS one of those mornings we have to try and persuade our tired weary bodies to leave the comfort and slumber of it's cozy warm bed. So it can get up and go achieve relative greatness, normally on the behalf of and the benefit of others. Yes I'm afraid the Bank holiday has once again slipped through our fingers like white sand from a hot Palm strewn beach. Still there is a bright side! (all be it quite a small one) I trust you have noticed that today is grey and damp and 'orrible! Much like it was on Friday, if you can cast your mind back that far? Which is a GOOD thing, because normally over a bank holiday, due to the 'law of sod'. It's the days before and directly after a Bank Holiday that are lovely and the weekend of the bank holiday is rubbish! So in a small way it's good that it's rubbish today and was actually quite lovely yesterday! Yes I know it's quite a small strand of 'bright side' but it is there none the less and I shall be thankful for it.

So I trust you all had pleasant ones and are all suitably refreshed or at least suitably frayed around the edges? I for one had a fairly quiet one and generally bummed about and caught up with a few films with the family that I got for my birthday. I also spent a lot of time cataloging my spotify music into years for use of music quizes, yes alright, a bit sad I know, but it keeps me out of mischief. So far I have I have all the top selling tunes, from each year from 1970 - 2006! I only intend to go as far as 2010 and back as far as 1960 as I think that will do. Also, here at Tidy Towers we managed to achieve our first barbeque of the year on Saturday evening (which was nice). Ahh the smell of the barbeque spreading it's exquisite odors over the back gardens of the neighbourhood, enticing others to do the same. Still it was all rather lovely.

Right, well I suppose I had better stop all this waffling and go and achieve some more relative greatness on the behalf of, and the benefit of others, as I once again have one less day to achieve it all in. Stay safe, be friendly and look after each other. See you tomorrow!

Still welcoming the Friday no matter what it looks like!

BRRRRR and a very brisk Welcome to morningside to you. Oh I must tell you, I saw the new 'Star Trek Into Darkness' film last night at the old 3D iMAX. It was SO many boxes of awesome, twas brilliant! Oh and for those that may be a fan of such things and will know what I am talking about, I can promise you without spoiling anything that at some point the new Jim Kirk does say the the phrase "Bones! What are you doing with that Tribble?" Brilliant!!

Honestly I think the weather seems to be stuck in Autumn at the moment, it's chilly enough to leave ya fingers feeling cold at the ends out there today, and it's raining and grey and just a bit BRRRR. Plus I still have quite a lot to achieve by the end of play tonight eeek!!

Still, on a brighter note I can't help but notice that the cheeky puppy of Fridayness has once again settled itself firmly on the hearth rug of Hope and it looks very content indeed. Yes the weather really isn't what it should be, but let's not forget that it IS Friday and it IS more importantly a Friday before the blissful gladness of a Bank Holiday Monday!

Remember, that on Bank holiday weekends, even if we're not up to much and are just planning to mooch about a bit. The restless pangs of disappointment we usually get around Sunday tea time knowing that the weekend is nearly done and the clockwork of another working week is nearly upon us cease to exist. So we can let go and be a little happier and enjoy the novelty of yet another evening knowing that we still have a full day of play to come.

So let's not let a little patch of dampness spoil our day! (Hmmm, that sounded a lot better in my head. Perhaps I should re-phrase it) . . . ahem . . . SO, let's not let a little spell of damp weather spoil our day! (Yup! that's much better) Who cares if it's a bit drizzly and slightly chilly! It's a brand new Friday out there and a Friday that is promising us the magnificence of an extra day of weekend! So let's welcome this Friday as if it were bright and sunny, and warm enough for shorts! Fling open your arms to the day and hold onto it and squeeze it so tightly that it makes a little groan!

Look after one another until we meet again on the other side of the mountain.
xx

Monday . . . AGAIN!

Well hello to you. Normally of course I would wish you a very good morning, but as it's first thing on a Monday, I doubt if you would believe me if I did. Although I have to be honest it really isn't very inspiring out there today is it! Still kind of dark, grey, looming and foreboding. Very much like an evil elephant genius intent on taking over the world.

Still it was a smashing weekend! We had the confusion of the Doctor Who finale (No idea, what's going on there! It's all just a little too confusing at the moment!) Then of course, myself and the Marvelous Lady Tidy journeyed to the far away land of Worthing to watch the Great EuroVision Extravaganza with chums and maybe a glass or two of wine. (Isn't 'Extravaganza' a marvelous word!). Which I'm happy to report did include all the hilarious costumes and staging that we have come to love and expect. Plus not a short amount of 'lovely' tunes! Our personal favorites being the entries for Malta and Greece! Marvelous!

Sadly that excitement is far behind now, as we once again, get left alone on the dance floor of life by our weekend. Normally during the slow dance at the end of the disco. It might be 'Careless Whisper' by George Michael or 'Rush Rush' by Paula Abdol playing as the weekend leaves us in the lurch once again, it doesn't matter, the pain is always the same. So we find ourselves metaphorically looking around to see if anyone has seen what happened, before shuffling back to the side of the dance floor with our head bowed to blend in with the shadows while nursing an everlasting drink once again.

Then of course Monday arrives all to soon, and we already find job bags with *URGENT* written on them in shouty capital letters and circled with orange high-lighter pen. DAMN YOU ORANGE HIGH-LIGHTER PEN!

Ah well, must crack on I suppose, do try and have a tolerable one. If not, I do have a whole bushel of hugs should any of you need any.

Mr Biggon Has A Bath

Good morning class! Isn't it lovely out this morning! I may very well leave it out! It looks like we really have been blessed with a glorious Friday to end the week with. Today boys and girls, as it's Friday, I would like to start the day with a lovely story.

Are you sitting comfortably? . . . Then I'll begin.


This is Mr Biggon, or Ivor to his friends. Ivor is having a bath. (See all the bubbles. Splish, splish, splash).

Ivor’s wife Melonie has gone to the local shop down the road to buy some salad for tea. (Do you like salad? Ivor does).

Ivor liked to have his bath when Melonie was out, as it meant he wouldn’t be disturbed. Ivor loved having a long relaxing bath and had a special way of cleaning himself using the inside of the loofah.

Suddenly Ivor’s bubbly bliss was disturbed. There was someone at the door. (Can you make the sound of a doorbell? "Ding-Dong!")

This made Ivor very cross! Ivor said some very rude words! (Do you know any rude words?) Ivor knew lots!

This is Ivor running down the stairs, covering the carpets with bubbles and opening the door in his bathrobe. (Why do you think Ivor has a door in his bathrobe?)

Miss Demeanor the post-lady was at the door. "Hello Mr. Biggon" says Miss Demeanor. "Hello Miss Demeanor" says Ivor. Miss Demeanor says. "I have a parcel for you Mr. Biggon. Is it one of your special video films about people who have lost all their clothes?"

This made Ivor blush. Look at how red Ivor's cheeks are! Maybe the bathwater was a little hot and the bathrobe a little short.

"No!" said Ivor, "it is some organ music I have been waiting for.”

"Miss Demeanor says "Is that your organ over there I can see, the big shiny one?" "Yes" said Ivor, "it's a 7-stop 2-manual 1938 Woodstock pipe organ but I can't use it at the moment as pumping it makes Melonie’s arm ache".

"I could pump it for you if you like" says Miss Demeanor. (How kind and thoughtful Miss Demeanor is!)

"That would be lovely" says Ivor, "but you have to pump quite hard to get it going as my bellows are rather old and perished".
(Look at how good Miss Demeanor is at pumping). Pump-pump-pump.

Now let’s listen as ivor plays Bach"s Prelude & Fugue in D major. (How clever Ivor is!).

Miss Demeanor says "That was lovely Mr.Biggon". Ivor blushed again.

Just then Melonie arrived home carrying all the food she had bought for their salad later on.

"Hello Mrs. Biggon" puffed Miss Demeanor. "Mr. Biggon was showing me the organ in his bathrobe. He can do some wonderful things with it - even though he is out of practice and it takes quite a bit of pumping!".

Now Melonie is getting a big green cucumber out of her bag!

Are you sitting comfortably?

Ivor isn't. Poor Ivor.

THE END

When your brain stays asleep

Well hello there fellow weary traveler on this life's great road. Welcome to your very own Friday Eve. It is a little chilly and foggy out there this morning so do watch how you're going. Although there does seem to be a promise of some sunshine today, so all is not entirely lost. Even if it does feel more like Autumn at the moment.

Well yesterday was a little manic and frantic I can tell you. It was one of those days when you feel like you are metaphorically constantly chasing fires. There was a sudden influx of 'Screamers' as they seem to be referred to here. Which basically means jobs that you don't really have enough time to do, but have to do them anyway. So I was leaping from one to the next, pretty much all day yesterday. So here's hoping that today will be a lot less 'squeaky bum time', else I fear for my sanity. (What do you mean? 'What sanity?' RUDE!)

Well, I can't speak for you of course (Although wouldn't it be weird if I actually could! I could cause all kinds of shenanigans!) but I did find it very very hard getting out of bed this morning. Normally, I'm relatively ok at this daily event. I'm one of these people who hears the alarm, then flings of the duvet while trying to press the right button to turn the alarm off (Never an easy task). Then I just swing myself round and bustle the bathroom. For some reason though my head and brain were still very much asleep when my alarm started bleeping at me this morning. It was like someone and been in during the night and replaced my brains (such as they are) with porridge! Firstly I was facing the wrong way, normally I wake up facing my alarm clock. So then I was trying to turn off the alarm and fling the duvet off backwards. Something I have to inform you is not very easy. Eventually my brain did work out that it was probably better to actually turn over before attempting such a task, but it did take a while for it to work it out!

After several attempts and pressing all other buttons aside from the correct one, I did manage to turn of the alarm. Then getting out of bed itself became a real struggle. Normally I would just fling my legs round and sit up at the same time. I'm sure we all do something similar, it's basic physics you swing your legs together and they act as a lever to help right your torso into a sitting up position. Although this morning I even seem to struggle with this concept and just kind of just flailed around like fish on the river bank, totally forgetting my normal method. After discovering that flapping arms and legs doesn't actually help you sit up, I did eventually kind of rolled towards the edge of the bed and rolled my legs off and managed to get up, before shuffling to the bathroom looking and sounding a bit like a zombie.

I feel ok now, it's just a bit worrying when you suddenly forget how to wake up! I hope I'm not coming down with something? Maybe I just slept too heavily? Who knows! Still I shall be waiting to see if it's any easier tomorrow.

Toodle pips! xx

Tuesday is well 'behind' us!

Good morning, good day and a tumultuous 'Well hello' to you. So how are things on your side of the mountain? Well I have to say it! That Tuesday really wasn't as bad as all that really was it? Sure it was a little poopy in places and the weather certainly didn't help any, but generally not too bad. Certainly everything here seemed to go roughly according to the plan in my head, which is always good. (Yes, of course I have have plans!! RUDE!) Still, I shall now cast aside the shackles of 'The Tuesday' and welcome the warm roundness of a comforting Wednesday to nestle against me. Ahhh that's better.

Yes it's mid-week already! Only a few short hours before we can grab our mats with the little foot pocket at the end and ride the long bumpy slide towards the weekend. Where of course we shall leap off the bumpy slide and collect our free Candy Floss on a stick, (It's always better on a stick, rather than just in a bag isn't it!) before we head over to the Waltzer and actually make ourselves feel a bit ill. Oops, sorry about that, I seem to run away and got lost with my own metaphor again. (Don't know if you've noticed, but I do tend to do that)

So today is the 15th of May, which did you know, (brace yourself fact fans) was the day in 1649 that Oliver Cromwell and the then 'Rump Parliament' (No I didn't make that up, it really is a type of Parliament) declared England a 'commonwealth' or free state! True fact! I do like the idea of a 'Rump Parliament' though, sounds so much more fun, if a little saucy. Still I do like a little bit of sauce as I'm sure you know. If you were wondering a 'Rump Parliament' is any parliament left over from the actual parliament after some kind of overthrowing I believe. Of course having said I'd quite like a 'Rump Parliament' I think it is kind of what we've got at the moment anyway! It certainly seems like there's more than enough arses in the government to call it that anyway! Haha!

Still, things to do, and printers to swear at! (that's the machines themselves by the way and not a poor person who runs a large press) So I really must crack on! (I'm sorry there really has been far too many bottom related references in my little blog this morning)

See you all tomorrow! xxx

The Curious Happening in Plumtree Avenue.

It was during a particularly blustery day, that the hotchpotch of letters had fallen from the poor postman's overturned trolley. (They don't have sacks anymore!) He found himself whining in despair while desperately scrabbling to collect them all before they blew away. When a fortunate stroke of serendipity came to pass. The wind ceased to blow, the sun came out from behind a cloud, and three kindly strangers appeared apparently from nowhere, and immediately started helping the stricken postman collect his mislaid letters.

Peter, for this was the name of the postman in question was overwhelmed with gratitude, if a little shocked at the sudden help. Although couldn't help but wonder where the three kindly strangers had come from and just who they were. He looked at them while he busily collected the scattered envelopes from the ground with the help from the three. They looked very officious in their matching long black rain coats and wide brimmed fedora hats.

Very soon, all the spilled envelopes and packages had been collected up and returned to Peter's toppled trolley, which had now been helped back onto it wheels. Peter was just about to launch into giving them thanks and telling them how kind they were, when the tallest of the strangers walked up to him, and shook him warmly by the hand using both of his leather gloved hands (because handshakes with both hands always feel more sincere) and said in a very calm and reassuring voice "No need to thank us Peter, it was a pleasure to help you" Then the three smiled at Peter and continued on their way.

Peter smiled and felt that warm glow you get, when someone does something kind for you. He was just about to carry on with his round when he suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned and said, "Hold on a minute, how did you know my name?" but the three strangers were nowhere to be seen. They had seemingly completely vanished! All that remained was the sound of a lone blackbird chirping in the distance, the now soft breeze on his face and the neat and freshly cut front gardens and damp pavements of Plumtree Avenue

T. H. Ministies, I'm just doing my job!

It's ok! I know how you're feeling! You've woken up to discover that the glorious Summerette we've been experiencing has gone. The welcoming sunshine has gone and been replaced with grey clouds and rain. Yes it's going to make things a little tougher and seem a little bleaker, but we can get though this! Like I've said before we all need a little rain in our lives, otherwise like little flowers we won't be able to grow. So let's not see the rain as a depressing thing, let's look at it as something we need to carry on. A little bit of a life giver if you will. Come on, come in here and we'll all huddle together and have one of those really awkward group hug moments, where you don't really know where to put your arms, and sometimes you just kind of find yourself in the middle and unable to participate in the hugging, so just become a hugee. Not that there's anything wrong with that of course. In fact that can be quite nice sometimes. Just hold your arms tight by your side and feel the squish of a really big hug. See! That's much better isn't it!? Well I feel better for it anyway. There's not many situations in life when a hug can make you feel even a tiny bit better about things. That's just a fact!

I do of course offer a hug ministry as you know, the emergency red phone will ring and I will get the call. It could be something like this. "Hello is that Tidy Hug Ministries? . . . Yes, well it's raining and I'm having a 'I feel ugly and unloved' kind of day. Can you get here as soon as possible please" So of course I jump into the Hugulance (It was going to be called the Squeezewagon but honestly that sounded a bit rude . . . ok a lot rude) then I rush round to where ever I'm needed as soon as I can get there. Then it's just a matter of confirming the details and then opening my arms to deliver the much needed huggle. Then it's just back to office to await the next call. Yes it's a busy life, but I feel that I am just another emergency service, just doing my job.

In 1973 a crackpot was born and should of been sent away for not being normal, maybe even commited. This man promptly escaped normal life and became slightly odd and a bit special. Today, not wanted by the government, he survives as soldier of sunshine. So, If you have a problem - if no one else can help - and if you can find him - maybe you can call on: T.H. Ministries!

The Bank Holiday report!

MORNING!! Ahhh well wasn't that a lovely weekend! That little taste of Summer yesterday was gorgeous wasn't it! Sadly I didn't see much of it myself as me and the ever suffering Mrs T spent the majority of it assembling a large solid wood corner bookshelf for the master bedroom. I must say I am quite pleased with the results, even if during the assembly there was an awful lot of swearing and injuries. It turns out that inserting a cross-head screwdriver through the skin of your left index finger is quite painful.

There was of course the normal cursing of the supplied instructions as well, as they expect you to defy the laws of physics and gravity when assembling said furniture. Plus they tell you quite happily that you only need two people to assemble the furniture. What they neglect to tell you is that these people must have at least four arms each! I even vowed that we shall never again purchase any furniture that needs self-assembly! Still it's now proudly in place and looking quite splendid, even if I do say so myself. It's even left the room with a faint freshly cut wood aroma, which is a rather nice touch.

Still, sore fingers and aching palms from all the screwing (NO! Stop it!) aside, the rest of the day was really quite lovely! Although I did do something else rather reckless, I shaved off the beard in a fit of summer feeling madness. Sadly it now means my face looks weird! Don't get me wrong, I've always known and accepted I have a funny looking face, it's just now there's an awful lot more face on show! Never a good thing as far as my face is concerned! No shall not be posting photos! I shall be hiding in a dark cave with a bag over my head, shouting things like "I AM NOT AN ANIMAL!" until the beard has returned.

Still, never mind, we now find ourselves at the head of a brand new week, all be it a much shorter one for most of us and a really quite gorgeous looking day awaits us once more! (Yes! even though it's a The Tuesday!) Although if you plan to dress less and make more of the sunshine, I would double your efforts today as it looks like this little tastette of Summer will be leaving us for a while after today. So make the most of the here and now and welcome it with open arms. Although do be careful out there, don't want you going silly and ending up looking like a lobster! As the song says: Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of 2013. Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience...I will dispense this advice now.

Right, well that seems to of wrapped things up nicely! See you all tomorrow when of course we shall all compare tan lines! WAHEY! xx

Pay attention class!

AHEM!! Eyes front please! . . .Good morning class . . . *awaits the screeching of chairs as the class stands up, and the droning chorus of "Good Morning Mr Tidy" said in a singy way* . . . Right! Now settle down please class, I SAID SETTLE DOWN! That means YOU as well Mitchell. There's always one isn't there and it's usually you Mitchell isn't it!? See me after class! . . . Yes, ok, I know you are all terribly excited because it's a Friday and it's nice and sunny and there is a sunny and warm bank holiday weekend approaching, but that is NO reason to go around acting like a insane battalion of manic, eccentric lunatics!! . . . OH who am I kidding! It's a PERFECT reason to go around acting like a battalion of manic, eccentric lunatics!! Let's GO NUTS! WOOOOO!! YIP!! YIP!! WHEEEEEEEE!!!

Seriously! Who would of thunk that a month ago when it was still minus silly temperature and snow was still happening in places, that come May Day Bank Holiday it would be feeling like Summer! Glorious!! Yes indeed, it promises to be a damn fine Bank Hol weekend. So get out there and fire up the barbeque! I know some of you already have! Yes! I'm looking at you!! Or go and do that meet up in the pub beer garden, you've been meaning to do, or get yaself down the beach with all the other thousands of people, if the sea is what floats your boat! (Haha! Did you see what I did there!). Just let's not waste it! Really sunny and nice Bank Hols a rarer than the Lesser Spotted Shimmering Twingle in this country so I say to heck with any plans you may of had. You know what they say about "The best laid plans of mice and men" Although that's always made me wonder what 'Mice Plans' are!? Something like: 1. Make semi-circular hole in skirting board. 2. Get cheese. 3. Run away from cat. 4. Somehow trick cat into running into and ironing board for comedic purposes. Sorry I got side tracked there! Basically what I'm saying is, go do something a little special because this will surely the weekend to do it! So get out there and make some happy memories!

Yesterday I was inspired by a great friend who was wearing a Kilt and a Fez, (excellent look, by the way) so this morning I decided to give in and get the shorts out the cupboard! (Really MUST get myself a kilt!) So if anyone wishes to by me a belated 40th birthday present, a Utility Kilt would be the one for me thank you so very much. That's really all I'm going to say today, I'm keeping it shorter and sweeter so we don't waste another moment and can get on and languish in the warm gloriousness of a frankly fabulous Friday!

See you all on The Tuesday! (Unless I see you in a beer garden before that of course!) xx

The BOING! of Spring.

Well would you look at that! It's only gone and turned into Friday Eve already! A lot sooner than expected as well. Well for me at least having been still languishing in birthday land on Monday. Isn't it gorgeous out again today! I might well leave it out! (Sorry I had to say it) Actually despite it's obvious gorgeousness it still is pretty bloomin chilly out there at the moment, so don't be deceived if you're stepping out early this morning, like I was. Something with long-sleeves is definitely required at the moment. Still, if it does carry on with this warm Springyness for a little longer the shorts may have to come out!

There! I've said it! The first talk of shorts this year. Another one of those annual milestones I like to mentally check off. I had another one of those the other day, it was the first garden sighting of a bumble bee. Ahh, such simple things make me smile and feel all at peace with things. Although I am, as yet, still to see this years first garden spotted butterfly. Which isn't a type of butterfly even though it sounds like one. It's just the place where I usually spot it.

It's true though, I think all this Springness does us all the power of good. When the sun is shining and the sky is a clear blue, even when it's still a little chilly, somehow things seem more relaxed. We feel a lot more forgiving of people and it kind of paints a little smile on all of our hearts. It truly is a magnificent time of year. It also tells us that even though it's pretty blooming lovely we still have the hope of a gorgeous Summer to follow. Even if like recently we get very let down with our actual Summer, during the Spring we still have that hope of gorgeous one to come.

So I say try and make the most of the frankly gorgeous bit of Spring we're having at the moment. (Sorry, I've used the word gorgeous too much now and it's starting to sound weird) Get outside and meet people, go and have an evening drink in a beer garden. I promise you, you will feel so good for doing it, there really is something rather nice about sharing company and maybe an ice cold alcoholic beverage with a few people in a sunny beer garden, while putting the world to rights. In fact I feel we should all meet up and do this said thing! (Yes EVEN YOU!).

Most of all, try and remember how you are feeling in those times when you can relax, take a deep breath and just enjoy the laziness of Springtime and hold onto those memories when the clouds do come over and bring a little greyness into our lives. It really does make a whole world of difference.

Well toodle pips dear reader, see you tomorrow. x

One mystery of Man revealed.

MORNING!! Looks like another glorious Springy morning out there. How are we all today? . . . Really?! . . . Oh . . . Oh I see . . . how lovely! Well, I think I shall leave you to it then, as it very much were. (Honestly, that was just RUDE! Far too much information I thank you so very much indeed) Still I do find it's nice to come together at the beginning of the day, I find it helps us collect our thoughts and let's us focus on the day before us. Not sure why I'm using the collective noun there. It's like I found myself using 'The Royal we'. (Ooer sounds a bit rude! *snigger snigger*) As I can really only vouch for how it helps me! I certainly can't make any such claim on anyone else who stumbles across my daily mutterings and decides they've got a few minutes spare to bother reading it. Sorry, now where was I? Oh yes, that's right I hadn't even really started yet! Sorry about that, one paragraph down and nothing of any use or meaning has been uttered! No change there then, I hear you cry! (Which if you did was actually a bit rude.)

This morning ladies, (Yes, gentleman readers I am mainly talking to the ladies this morning, sorry about that) I should like to impart some knowledge unto you with regard to the male brain and it's process of how it works. (Yes, yes alright, a very rare thing indeed). Today I would like to explain the reason why at some point you will look at your man disparagingly (there's today's BIG word) as he stands before you completely naked except for wearing socks. Yes I know this is a bug bear of a lot of you, but alas you will find that all men, well at least all British men, will at some point be sporting the 'naked except for socks' look. This I know is seen as a particularly unsexy look for any man. It doesn't even help if you try and add a bit of humor to it by wearing a sock on your downstairs gentleman either apparently!

You see ladies, when we do this, you will be shocked to know that we are not actually trying to attain the 'sexy' look. All we are doing is either getting dressed to go somewhere or getting undressed to go to bed. The reason we end up in this position is just down to the pure logic that our brains seem to want to try and achieve. You see, when a man gets undressed he goes about it systematically. He starts at the top and works his way down, thus the socks being the last item to remove. The same formula is used when getting dressed only in reverse, so we start at the bottom and then work our way up! It really is as simple as that. You see when we're not thinking about it, our brain will automatically revert to basic logic functioning without the thought of how we appear even coming into the equation.

So there we are, another mystery of men revealed! Sadly it just comes down to that fact that yet again we men are but simple creatures. Of course if you do have any other questions into the male psyche, please ask away and I shall try to tackle them at some point in the future.

Right, well must crack on, things to do, creative masterpieces to try and achieve and the usual struggles to tackle. See you all tomorrow on Friday Eve!