Trumpet exams, cooking and Michael Jackson.

My son took his Grade 1 Trumpet exam today. He has practised really hard and I hope he has done well. I must take some film so you can hear him play. He really is rather good!


It is very hot here at the moment and I have just cooked 3 different meals for my men. I don't usually do this. They usually get what they're given, but today I just took pity on them. Needless to say I didn't fancy eating by the time I had done all that.


And, this may not be a popular opinion, but I am getting so fed up of hearing Michael Jackson music all the time. What is this obsession with celebrity? Yes, its sad he has died and I feel for his family the same way I would for anyone, but do they have to go on and on about it?? I even turned on French radio the other day and they were droning on about him.Good Grief!!




Well, that's it for today. Off to get the kids to bed now.

An English Summer hail storm...

We have been very lucky with the weather this summer so far, but having visited our village fete this afternoon, and baked in glorious sunshine, we came home just in time to get the washing in and watch this storm from the comfort of our house!


Who would believe it? Hail stones in June!!

Skywatch Friday - number 2.

The sky over my house this evening...

And the sky nearby yesterday....






I have decided to post the view from the same spot over my house each week... along with photos taken during the week preceding from around where I live in rural Hertfordshire, England, or just where I happen to be.


For more Skywatch photos from around the world today please click on this link or on the button in the top right hand corner. Go on... you won't be disappointed and you might be inspired to take some yourself!!

Henry Moore in the English Countryside - wonderful!!

Until a short time ago I knew nothing about Henry Moore. I had heard of him and thought vaguely of big bulky sculptires when he came into my head... but nothing else. A friend suggested we take the children to visit the Henry Moore Foundation at Perry Green, spending the day and having a picnic in the grounds... so we did.



I cannot recommend the Foundation enough. Booking our tickets on-line was a dream and the personal and friendly service afforded us by the staff there was second to none. The Foundation itself is based around Henry Moore's home in the beautiful hamlet of Perry Green. To reach it involves winding your way down country lanes, past thatched cottages and ancient pubs, village greens and woodland.





Once there we opted to walk around the grounds - there are 70 acres - sprinkled with magnificent sculptures. They are breath taking and all of us were thrilled by them. I just wanted to touch them, walk around them and drink in their grandeur. My favourites were the vertebrae - sparkling in the summer sun - and the loops... all higher by far than us and monumental in their structure.


The archway below rose out of a wild flower meadow like a pre-historic creature. Henry Moore took his inspiration from many things, but mainly from natural forms - fossils, bones,interesting stones, skulls. He sketched them and worked them up from small maquettes ( models) in stages to the massive pieces on exhibition in the grounds of the Foundation.




The Foundation at Perry Green is a stunning place. You can tour around Moore's restored home and it is as if he might walk back into the room at any moment. His cardigan hangs on the back of his chair and the smell of freshly brewed coffee hangs in the air. He collected art as well as creating and in his sitting room hangs a Renoir, in his kitchen a Picasso!



I am desperate to go back to visit more thoroughly. I did not have time to see all the workshops on this visit. There are studios and galleries as well as exhibitions of textiles and sculpture. It is a wonderful place and if you find yourself down Hertfordshire way you could do worse than plan a day here!To find a Henry Moore near you, click on this link and you will find a map of the world. Click on your country to find places where his work is exhibited.


Let me know how you get on!!

Degree hopes disappear down toilet...

I have struggled to remain chirpy today as the reality of completing my Degree has begun to hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks. I have to get 100 points, made up from probably 2 Year 3 courses of 60 points each. I will be or would have been doing this part time, through the Open University, whilst I continue to work.


Now, going straight in to a Third Year course after 25 years of no study, no essay writing, is quite something. Choosing my subject is quite something. I spoke to an advisor yesterday and was pretty excited at doing a Second Year French course. This starts in February and runs through until October, I think, next year. Its pretty hard, but achievable.


But then I started thinking.Ok... one course at Level 2, will get me 60 points, but at the wrong level. I would still have to do 2 more courses at Level 3. Another 2 years worth on top of the Level 2. I know, its complicated, but stick with me!!


So, I can't go straight in at Level 3 with French and looking at the English courses... well they just blow me away. And they all cost... between £600 and £1100 per course. That's £2500 before I even think about books or residential parts.


And there is my age, too. 3 years to finish my Degree. 1 year to do a PGCE ( Post Graduate Certificate of Education). By the time I start looking for a teaching job I will be 50.


And through all this, we can't even afford to take our kids on holiday... so why am I chasing a pipe dream? By the time I finished they would be 16 and 14 . I am not making any snap decisions, but it looks like a luxury we can't afford, just to satisfy a whim of mine.


If I can learn anything from this, it will be not to let my own children fail their potential. The girl I was 25 years ago had the world at her feet and I let it all slip away. If I start going down the route of could have, would have, should have..... well I would go mad. It happened and I don't have too much to complain about when I look at my life. But, I won't let that happen to my boys. I won't let them walk away from their potential without even a conversation.

I think that this has taught me a valuable lesson, and when it comes down to it I have a good life. If I hadn't dropped out of University I would not have met my Man. Let's face it - we can't all have everything in life, can we?

The Day after Skywatch Friday.

If you scroll down a wee bit you can see my first Skywatch Friday photos. Today is the day after my first Skywatch and I have to say I am thrilled with all the comments I have received from other Skywatchers!



The whole experience was great - from choosing which photo to post, adding the link and going all round the world via the Skywatch website to see other people's skies. There are some amazing photos out there and the people who are part of the Skywatch prject are very generous with their enthusiasm and support.


I now carry my camera with me all the time and am often in danger of crashing my car because I am far too busy looking up at the sky!! I can't wait for next week now.


I think I am always going to post one photo from the same spot outside my house and one more which will be my favourite of the week. I had to post the photo above - its an old one so I didn't use it for yesterday, but I like it!! Do you??

Skywatch Friday....number 1!

Today is my first Skywatch Friday. I am quite excited....but first, here is my photo. This is the sky outside my house this evening.


Skywatch happens each Friday. Around the world people post photos of the sky. You can link to the Skywatch website and see more from every corner of our beautiful planet, either by clicking on the highlighted link or on the Skywatch badge on my side bar. I am going to do this each Friday from now on. It is free to join and fun to take part. Why not pop along and have a look?!



This is the sky in rural Hertfordshire this evening... what's it like where you are?

Cycling in the English Countryside.

You could do a lot worse, as far as I'm concerned, than go for a bike ride through the woods with your children and husband.This is exactly what we did at the weekend - our first proper longish bike ride together from our house. We are very lucky to live very close to the woods so its a case of cycling out of the drive and 2 minutes later you are there!


We took water and various munchies and followed our noses through the trees. We had one road to cross and then onto an old railway path that is now a well travelled path between villages.



Son #2 insisted on bringing home this little souvenir, apparently a rabbit, which has seen better days.


Along the way we met lots of walkers and a few other cyclists. I love the way everyone is so friendly, smiling and saying hello. Its very rare for walker, runner or cyclist not to give some sort of greeting. We stopped on the way back for a drink and a bag of crisps at the pub we had passed earlier and then it was on the bikes and back home for tea!

In the end we had cycled about 10 miles. All in all a jolly good way to spend an afternoon.

Polarbear 'Jessica' myspace.com/polarbearspoken

You might not have time right now...but give this a chance! Polar Bear is a poet, clever and sensitive. Go on... give it a go!!

A game of Tag...

ok More stuff about me as I was tagged the other day by Rowan


I love her blog so I have answered the questions! Hope I'm not too dull... Oh, and I have tagged some people at the bottom, so read on, it might be you!!

The Questions:

What is your current obsession?
Well... I am just not an obsessive person...so nothing.

What is your weirdest obsession?
As I said.... not obsessive!

What are you wearing today?
Navy 3/4 length cotton trousers, navy and white spotted shirt, pumps.

What's for dinner?
I had salad with lettuce, tomatoes, onions,feta and dressing.

What would you eat for your last meal?
Probably my Man's carbonara.....yummmmmmeeeeeee!

What's the last thing you bought?
kidney beans for chilli.

What are you listening to right now?
my computer getting hot.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Don't really like ice cream...can take it or leave it!

What do you think of the person who tagged you?
I love her blog - very interesting.

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
South of France


If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Villivaru in the Maldives... as long as my Man and boys could come too.

Which language do you want to learn?
I would like to get fluent in French

What's your favorite quote (for now)?
love is blind;friendship closes its eyes.

What is your favorite color?
purple

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
my jeans

What is your dream job?
I would love not to have to work, but be able to choose what I did each day.


What is your worst habit?
I have no bad habits...I am perfect!


If you had £100 now, what would you spend it on?
Probably make up and clothes... how shallow is that??

Do you admire any one's style?
My friend Karen always looks fab.

Describe your personal style?
keeping warm, hiding muffin belly...

What are you going to do after this?
going to bed!

What are your favorite movies?
Life is Beautiful, Pretty Woman, Kill Bill

What is your favorite fruit?
raspberries

What inspires you?
good honest people who dare to live the way we all should.

Your favorite book?
My Friend Leonard, James Frey

Do you collect something?
dust

What is your favorite smell?
my husband fresh out of the shower!

What is your fave HGTV show?
What is that?


Now I am going to tag some people to copy this and add on your own answers if you fancy...


Farm Wife

Gail at the Farm


Kork

Inkling

Elise

Kerrie

Urban Cynic

Virtual Tea over at Farm Wife's place!!

I went a visiting over to Farm Wife's blog and I was pleased to see that she is running her virtual tea party again. I first went a couple of years ago - dressed up in my Sunday best. You can go too, you just have to answer the follwing questions!! I have typed in my answers.... what do you think??

Please introduce yourself tell us how you came to be a visitor here at of a FarmWife

Hello! I am Secret Housewife, or Sarah , which ever you prefer. I have been visiting Farm Wife since about 2007. I stumbled across Farm Wife and her Farm Hands by browsing through Blogger and I immediately enjoyed her blog, felt at home. Farm Wife has been kind and supportive over the last 2 ½ years and I love reading about her and her family.

What book is currently on your bedside table (or coffee table) and are you really reading it?
I have 3 at the moment: JK Rowling’s “ Tales of Beedle the Bard “ ( not too bothered about that one. “Villette” by Charlotte Bronte, an old favourite that I am rereading. 3 Cups of Tea – about Greg Mortensen, just started it.

Is there anything you would like to accomplish this summer?

I want to lose some weight and get started on my Degree Course.

Did you take any lessons as a child? What kind & did you retain anything you learned?

Mmmmm… I wanted to learn ballet and took a few lessons, but my mum promised she would stay and never did, so I gave up. My real joy was horse riding. I took lessons from aged 8 to 18 and loved it. I was a bit scared sometimes, but my favourite was jumping. Somehow I was never scared of that!I often wonder if I will ever ride again. I hope I will - but I'm a bit frightened that I might break if I fell off!!


If someone had told you 10 years ago what you'd be doing now, would you have believed them?

I don’t think I would have believed I could have run the London Marathon, or that finishing my Degree would be a possibility. But I never say never, so maybe I would have believed it!

What are you making for dinner tonight?

We have already eaten… sausages, new potatoes, hispi cabbage, carrots, onion gravy and mange tout from our garden… oh, and white wine.

There. Thank you for inviting me, Farm Wife. Toodle Pip.

Gordon Brown... its time to go.

I have never met Gordon Brown and the chances are that I never will. I have to make a judgement, therefore, by reading about him, watching the media and from my own gut instinct. At the moment, and, let's face it, for some time now, he has reminded me of a large bull trapped up to his haunches in a mud pit, floundering wildly, trying to escape with his dignity intact.


He is surrounded by colleagues, journalists and the people of the UK, all of whom know that he is not going to find the way out. The only person in this country who appears to be totally unaware that his time is up, is Gordon Brown.


He became Prime Minister by default and this galls me. The arrogance in his demeanour, the way he believed that he was for some reason "owed" the leadership and therefore the post of Prime Minister really gets my goat. He ploughs ahead, blind to the damage he is doing to both his party and the country.


There comes a time when good leadership means that you have to let go. When you are remaining at your post for the wrong reasons, like a 5 year old who doesn't want to give up a favourite toy, then you should be ashamed. Gordon Brown, you should be ashamed at this desperate clinging to power. Your time has come. It came a long time ago and the results of the recent elections are the people trying to tell you that you are arrogant, you are wrong and you should do the decent thing and resign.

Twenty years on from Tiananmen Square. Do not forget.

Twenty years ago, on the 4th June 1989, pictures were burned into my mind. Pictures that I swore I would never forget, and a name that I have kept in my head all that time. The pictures were of the students and workers gathering in Tiananmen Square to ask for freedom, the name was Wang Weilin, the Tank Man.



There are events in one's life that touch one to the core and leave an imprint. This event touched me. The students and workers had gathered over some time, a few to begin with, increasing as the word spread. And the Chinese Government reacted by crushing them mercilessly and then wiping the event from their history with a brush soaked in the blood of innocents.


The man who seemed to sum up and symbolise the struggle was Wang Weilin. I sat in my comfortable life and watched as he stood before a line of tanks, one man, dressed in a white shirt and dark trousers, carrying a carrier bag as if he had just popped out to the shops and on the way had decided to take on the might of the Chinese Army. I have never seen a braver person and as I watched the tears streamed down my face. I swore then that I would never forget him, his name , or his actions.


This week is the twentieth anniversary of the Massacre At Tiananmen Square. In China it is as though it never happened. It does not exist in their history. But it does exist in the minds, hearts and memories of the brave survivors. Even now, 20 years on the Chinese Government is determined not to let the memory surface. When one man 1000 miles away from Beijing put a one line ad in his local newspaper in memory of 4th June 1989 he was arrested, imprisoned without trial and is now watched by the secret police as a subversive. The editors of the paper lost their jobs.


Kate Adie, BBC journalist, was there in 1989 and it was her pictures that I followed all those years ago.This week she broadcast a programme in memory of the events. It is moving, fascinating and well worth watching. I am posting a link to it here and if you have the time ( it is an hour long programme) please watch it. You will be glad that you did.

Twenty years ago the streets around Tianenmen Square ran with the blood of innocents. We cannot forget.

Romeo and Juliet at the Globe Theatre.

We did lots of things in Half Term break, and I shall endeavour to write about them over the next few days, as the weather has closed in and the British Summer appears to be over for this year...


Last Sunday we went to the Globe Theatre to see Romeo and Juliet. I had never been there before and I have to recommend it to anyone who gets a chance to visit. The day was glorious, sunny and warm and we began by taking a stroll along the South Bank of the Thames. There was music playing and the boys played on the beach that appears at low tide.


Then we ate at the Pizza Express next door to the Globe. And you could not have asked for a better view. From my seat I gazed out across the Thames to St Pauls Cathedral - absolutely beautiful. We ate well and drank chilled Chardonnay before strolling next door for the play.




How marvelous to sit in a theatre, open to the summer air, as audiences did 400 years ago. There were no microphones, no light shows - just great acting and atmosphere. We all enjoyed the play thoroughly, even the children and as we toddled back to the car the sun set behind St Pauls.

Witness to a mugging.

I have had a super week - lots of sunshine and fun. Last night though I witnessed something that I can't get out of my head. We were driving back home from London after a great day out.We were stopped at some traffic lights, with my Man driving, when I gazed over to the side of the road.


I saw a woman standing by the roadside and a man behind her. While I watched he raised his arm above his head and walloped the woman over the back of the head. She fell to the floor, obviously unconscious. The traffic moved on ( we were 3 lanes away ) and I couldn't believe my eyes. He bent to pick something up from the side of her as we left.


I keep seeing it played over and over in my head, especially his eyes - wide and wild. I didn't know what to do as I couldn't say exactly where it happened. It was dark, but there were other people around - just not close to these 2 people. I called the police from my Mobile phone and gave a description of what I had seen.


We couldn't stop - we had the boys in the car and we were in the fast lane, but I felt terrible not doing anything. I hope I can find out what happened to her, if she was ok. I hope she is...