Backwards In High Heels

Random Ramblings With No Thread Thread

The past couple of days have seen things happen, but nothing monumental. I've thought things, but nothing awe inspiring. I've noticed things, but nothing out of the ordinary. It's rambling post time.

- my preview of Download went on BBCi Derby today so you can read up here on Mum and mine's upcoming weekend of rockingness.

- keeping on the subject of Download. Could I be happier? Lordi are playing on Sunday! 12 points for Finland! Also, Wicked Wisdom added to Friday's list, who are fronted by Jada Pinkett Smith (Mrs Will Smith) and being a bit of a celebrity gossip whore I'm interested in seeing her purely out of nosiness.

- went in to the bathroom today and thought it smelt of man wee, but it was actually a new honey soap I'd open. Honey and urine - you do the smell test and see if you think the same thing.

- I had to endure another mother screeching her child's name ad nauseum in a shop today. At least it wasn't Geri Halliwell and her new sprog Bluebell Madonna. Poor child - sounds like the name of a racing greyhound.

- And talking of Madonna. She has annoyed religious groups with her mock crucifixion in her new stage show. Cross?...they're fucking furious (boom, boom. The old ones are the best)

- we are starting to strip the living room ready for a slap of new paint and then laying a new floor. The house is bordering on chaotic.

- The kittens are now using a mini litter tray and Bruiser has even eaten his first solid food - new video to follow shortly!

- I saw an advert for a house today and fell in love. The price tag is £1.75million. I've checked my piggy bank and I am just £1.75million short. Oh well. I am going to pin the photo to my 'wish board' - I'll tell you about that one day.

Tech Tags: Download+Festival, Lordi, Wicked+Wisdom, Geri+Halliwell, Bluebell+Madonna, Madonna, mock+crucifixion, decorating, kittens

It's Gone!

Not my youth. That slipped away a while ago to be replaced by something better - second wave youth.

No, the migraine has gone. After four and a half days the last remnants finally left my cranium this morning. I can comfortably look at the computer screen or read a book again. Praise be.

So today's post is a little catch up and time to get back on the blogging track.

In amongst the pain of a party in my head to which I was not invited, there were some bright spots over the last few days.

Lesley, a fellow Download Festival forum member came round to visit the kittens - who I am pleased to report are still going from strength to strength. Like me Lesley is a member of the Download OOFA (Official Old Farts Alliance) - we merry band of rockers over the age of 30 who go along to show the kids how it is done. With the countdown to the festival now at 24 days, needless to say we are getting a bit excited.  Note to Lesley - it's getting closer!! The good news is I have been asked to write some reports on it for BBCi Derby - whoopee!

The kittens were beautifully behaved and didn't pee or poo on our guest once and even posed for a photo or two. It's lovely to be able to share this time of the kittens with other people. The lady who first found the kittens mother popped round today, it was great that she could see what her actions have down - saved these two kittens.

Here is a great idea from Kate - Be Nice To Newbie Week. It is a daunting task setting about blogging for the first time, so why not stretch out a welcoming hand and say Hi and welcome to blogging to someone new?

And a big wave to Keris, a fellow Big Leaper, who had a great article in today's Express about 'Success Anorexia' - a term which refers to when we often hold ourselves back for fear of success - I'm hearing that, Keris!

Tech Tags: migraine, kittens, Download+Festival, Be+Nice+To+Newbie+Week, Success+Anorexia

Help the Paddingtons of the World!

Well the migraine is still lingering but the mood is much improved this evening. So I think I will do two posts tonight, one about this evening's activities and the long promised one on 'comping'.

I have just got in from visiting a Bring and Buy Sale in the local Methodist Church. I cannot remember the last time I went to a Bring and Buy sale. The church hall had the smell only church halls have and I was immediately whisked back in time.

I was very fortunate. I was raised in a small country village with a thriving community spirit. I had an upbringing many people only believe happens in books. We had village parties, doors were unlocked, domino drives, playing in hay fields, summer fetes. For a moment this evening I felt very sad as I realised I would never experience many of those things again. Even if i moved back to my childhood home it could not be recreated. The village community has largely disintegrated with many houses now holiday homes and the young of the area being priced out of what is left. The yearly village trip to the seaside and village Christmas party no longer exist. But that is a post for another day!

We were alerted to today's bring and buy by a note in the local paper. The sale was in aide of the WSPA and specifically to raise funds for their campaign to end bear farming in the Far East. I will not post any photos or descriptions of those practises in this blog, as I understand many people find them exceedingly distressing. However, if you do want to learn more about this practice I do recommend you visit the WSPA website.

It is a barbaric and inhumane practice, and one of many worthwhile campaigns the WSPA organisers. So we collected together some items to support a very worthy cause.

The Bring and Buy sale is the place you can still grab a bargain and home baking. I bought four books for the stunning price of....80p! Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: Indian History of the American West (Arena Books), The Star of the Sea, Jane Austen Book Club and an out of print copy of 'One Foot In the Grave' by David Renwick.

Yes, I bought a chocolate cake (but we have guests tomorrow to share it with. I had to eat a slice tonight just as a quality test) and a board game called Quotations.

We won a children's paint and crayon set on the Tombola but we gave it to the little girl on the table next to us in the tearoom. She looked much more creative than us.

I never want to live in a world where there aren't bring and buy sales in church halls.

Tech Tags: bring+and+buy, WSPA, bear+farming, church+hall, community+spirit