OK, the good and magical fairy Fantasmagoria ( Stop laughing) has granted you three wishes.

But she is a feisty good fairy ( As you would be with a name like that )

So there are conditions

Your first wish has to be about a person/people not related to you

Your second wish has to be about a place... that you might like to live in or visit

Your third wish can be about anything not related to the first two wishes but is not allowed to be more wishes And your wishes have to be personal to you.

So

My First wish....My friends son finally manages to walk without aid

My second wish.....To work in America

My Third Wish.....To one day get to meet more of the lovely people I have made friends with on here

Copy and paste on to your blog and post your answers

I thought I had lost that which is, to me, vital. The desire to write, it was gone, no words would come only deep black emptiness. However I find it was not lost, merely resting its aching wings, its bruised little ego. Bathing in the fire of inspiration ready to rise from its ashes once again, and face its foes.

There are those that believe that they are, for some reason, the only voices that should be heard, with their copying and pasting and their little rants, they believe that blogging should be left to those of their ilk.

They dont want to be bored to tears reading about the walk you took that day, or how you fared at work, what you had for breakfast is of no consequence to them, and therefore of no consequence to the world and the order of the day.

Well I hate to burst your bubble my friends ( I use the term in a loose, somewhat sarcastic manner) but there are people that want to know what others had for breakfast, what their day at work was like, who/what they saw when out walking.

There are people that want to know if you are happy or sad or just plain nutsoid. And funnily enough these are the people that make up the majority of blogland, the people that need to let off steam, to laugh,cry,shout,whisper their woes/joys to the world.

And why not? Is this not what blogging is all about? Having your say, your way, making friends, reading about the lives of others, getting to know people you would probably never have met out there.

You see the way I look at it, if I want to know whats on the news, I watch the news, I love a healthy debate just as much as the next person. But when someone tells me what I should be reading, writing, thinking, I get sort of prickly about it.

Post the news, but be prepared to debate what you post! Be prepared to give your views and why! Dont give me rants about something you are not prepared to debate or back up.

And never dictate to someone what they should or should not write,read and think. If what others write bores you, dont read it! If a blog does not come up to your expectations, go elsewhere. There are thousands of people write blogs I am sure that you can find some to suit you.

Sending emails from bogus addressess and leaving derogatory comments on peoples blogs does not appear to be getting you anywhere, maybe you should try a more subtle approach

By the way, I'm back

Need to be unique: 86%
Need to NOT conform: 69%
Willingness to express dissent: 59%
Overall score: 76%

How do I read my score?
Your scores are percentile between 1 and 100. The higher the number, the more your personality agrees with the associated comment. Your percentile indiciates how you compare against others who have taken this test. Since you have an overall score of 76, this indicates that you have a higher need-for-uniqueness than 75 out of 100 people.

Your results are split into these three catagories:

Need to be unique: You feel that you need to be a VERY unique and different.
Need to NOT conform: You prefer to conform to others' standards, but don't mind acting differently occasionally.
Willingness to express dissent: You are typically respectful when you disagree, but are willing to speak your mind if it is appropriate.

.
http://www.outofservice.com/freak/results/?unique=86&nonconform=69&dissent=59&overall=76

I'm 76% freak!!

The time has come to close the doors on this blog for a while, it seems that I am all rambled out and I am finally taking notice of the messages telling me that my posts are boring, unintelligable and far too long.

I will be keeping the story blogs going and probably the others, I dont know I will see how I feel about that later.

I will be around and will be commenting on the blogs of my friends and anyone else that I stumble across along the way.

But for now that will be all, you all know where I am and if you need a natter or whatever PM me or mail me for those who have my email.

Chiao, for now

You Are 28% Sociopath

From time to time, you may be a bit troubled and a bit too charming for your own good.
It's likely that you're not a sociopath... just quite smart and a bit out of the mainstream!

I took a wander which is not new for me, but on this journey I took the equivalant of two wanders. One physically and one mentally. As I wandered around I started to see the Town as it was as it used to be when I was young and they hadn't yet torn all the houses down and made the first shopping center , or built Sainsbury's, or Iceland and Aldi.
I saw the streets of houses with their cobbled roads, that were there at the bottom of the street that I used to live in, with their little ginnels and paths, the myriad of ways through to the adjoining streets. The ones that placed their backs to the Donkey Hill, that is the snicket used in the opening chapter of Shadow Dog. It has been there for as long as I can remember, those houses are gone now and for many years were replaced with trees growing on the land that was left. Now they too are gone replaced with houses that look out of place in amongst the old houses that remain above them.

This is where my beloved woods are, at the top of the street I used to live in, up through the fields, one of the things I loved about where I lived as a child, the fact that I had them there to wander in when I needed to escape, when I could escape.

The walk in to town from there, first we take the left hand route, and we come down either the top way, past the school that I attended, this school was made up of three buildings, all seperated, which was a pain in Winter. The first building with a large playground is now a center for 16 to 25 year olds run by the Prince of Wales Trust. Pass two streets of houses and the second building, still a school, but now the grounds have been extended and planted.

The third building up and across the road, always had the best grounds, a big piece of playground known as the Pitch, that we would play in when out of school as it was the best area for skating and football. Surrounded by grass and bushes, it was always the nicest part of the school, reserved of course for those that were in the highest classes. At one time it had the best domestic Science Kitchens in town and all the schools used them.

Now we come down the street, for we can go no further on the Top road, the middle way will take us past a factory, that stands where once a magnificent Church stood, which I attended when little, gone now torn down long ago as were many in our town. Past the Social club, and the houses that looked like two ups on this side but were four storeys tall on the other side. Down past the Pub on the corner, which remains but has had many renovations and landlords.

We have to cross the road here, for there is no pavement when we come from the edge of the pub down in to town, and it is a busy road as it leads up to the estates and the moors and the road into the next town, the scenic route if you like.

So much has changed and thats just from where I lived to the road to go in to town. Some of it is for the better but when I look at some of the ugly houses and factories that they built where beautiful churches and plots of trees and grass stood, some of it most definately is not.

So far it has been a pretty laid back day, I have studied, looked at the cleaning, blogged a couple of songs, studied, looked at the cleaning some more, and yes I should get up and do it, but lets face it, no one else is going to see it and no one but me will do it, so it will still be there when I actually feel like doing it.

I have listened to my favourite lady, Ms moyet and to some oldies and to some of my other favourite bands, Alabama 3, ELO, Queen, a bit of whitesnake just to balance it out.

Food may just be a good idea now.

A beach of white sand and gentle waves, smells of spices and scents so rich they make the mouth water, bright colours and laughing voices, seen, heard and smelled through the open window of the car as it moved slowly down the street toward the beach and the gentle ocean.

But thats as far as I got before I woke up, dreams of childhood, long ago, in a different place, a different time. Back to now and The Molly looking at me as if to say 'How very dare you go to sleep?'

The sun is shining, though it is fairly cloudy out there she has managed to break through and brighten up the morning. And I know that most people are still abed at this time on a Saturday morning, but the body clock doesn't seem to understand the difference between weekdays and weekends!

Still it does give me an extra few hours in which to do the cleaning and studying and blogging and washing and blogging and studying and blogging,and shopping and did I mention blogging?

Shower first, other stuff later

I have been a little melancholy these past few evenings, I think too much, and sometimes it is not good for you. So I have kept my nose in the books and concentrated on work and study instead of thinking, though that doesnt always work.

Sometimes I wonder if I did choose the right way, though I regret little that I have done, maybe there was a different way. Trouble is the different way would have meant being untrue to me and who I was/am, the way I chose has often been lonely, but never without its amusing points, its highs and lows, and yet never through it all have I lost sight of the reasons that I did it this way.

We all do it from time to time, question where we are and why. How we got here, reflecting on the journey. It does us good to think of where we have come from, more for some than others, it helps to prevent us from going back there, or from becoming that what we strive to avoid.

And now tis time to sleep, you never know , the dandman may just come to visit

For a Friday it has been Mondayesque, at work, it has been totally manic, at one point I had the manager of Accounts, stood at the side waiting for me to finish on the phone, two phone calls waiting, three people asking me different questions concerning three different clients, legal asking me about another client. When I finally got it all sorted, I logged out of phone and computer and said thats it I am having the break I should have had an hour ago!!

Back later, if anyones around that is

Happy Birthday Mrs F, Sorry its a bit late

I could expound on the beautious nature of the wonderful sunrise we had this morning, or the exceptional view as I came back down the hill from my walk.

But I am white rabbiting this morning and unfortuntely my brain for some reason wont get into gear, so everything I am trying to do is coming out upside down/back to front and inside out even

My fingers are now thumbs and my thumbs have taken a holiday, my legs for some reason belong in the jelly mould, and my feet refuse to go in the direction in which I am trying to command them to go.

At least thats how it seems, this is what you get for having your nose stuck in a book all night and then wanting to sleep when merry old Ms alarm says time to get up!

But it is Friday, the day when your staff are so busy wondering what to wear that night, that work is at the best sluggush and at the worst non existant, their heads are somewhere off in the clouds, or their wardrobes, and talk centers around the doings of the weekend, or percieved doings of the weekend, the actual doings of the weekend are reserved for Monday.

So it will be a fun day, headache pills anyone?

Off to prepare, that if I can get this body to move

I visited my son straight from work, he lives slightly higher up the hill than I do, not much, but the view when you walk out of his door, breathtaking.

I stood and looked out over the town to the hillside on the right where my beloved woods stand, I will be there this weekend, with Molly, to see the beinning of spring blooming in the trees and the grasses.

Bringing my gaze slowly from right to left and there are more hills, fields, woods, the moors way off in the distance (Not the moors I visit for they are hidden to the right) houses nestled in stands of trees, more fields. So many colours, all blending in, an awesome sight to finish my day.

And now food, and some wind down time, I hope you all had a good day

Morning is sliding its mantle over the rooftops opposite, as the sky gradually lightens and the night retreats in its path.

And the start of another day, except that was hours ago, even though it was dark. It wont be much longer before the early morning wanderings are bathed in full light, and the evenings are long and the night is short.

The buds on the trees have survived the snappy cold of the past few days and are flourishing, soon they will open and fresh green leaves will unfurl, my little plant has bloomed two bright magenta flowers ( Dont ask me what its called as I am totally clueless ) and my Paddy plant is flourishing again, it is a strange plant that one!
Keeps threatening to die on me and then voila, new and shiny leaves?

Spring is well and truly in the air, despite the wintry feel of the mornings at the moment. And this is official from this weekend when the clocks once again go forward one hour. Though they are supposed to be scrapping this time honoured tradition it is for the moment still in place.

And now tis time to prepare for the outside world, and all its little foibles.

Have a good day, whatever you are doing.

Its a lovely evening, and it was a beautiful sunrise this morning, though I was unable to share it with you as I could not, for some reason, access blog this morning. It would not let me load it, though everything else was fine.

It has been very cold, though no more snow, though that didnt stop me enjoying the beautiful shades of pink against the blue sky this morning.

A long day at work, but I expected that, first day back. Though I have to admit part of it was fun, I have a client that I am doing settlements for, who has declared he is coming to take me out for a drink

Right off for food back later

I watched the beautiful sunset, orange and pink and flaming red, setting the clouds alight and shading the evening sky. Slowly the sun settled behind the hills on the horizon and the stars took up residence in the dark velvety sky, a sliver of moon sitting in amongst them.

Today is the 20th March, nothing really significant about that but just for your information on this day in
1602...The Dutch East India Company is established

1760... The great fire of Boston destroys 349 buildings

1815... Napolean enters Paris after escaping from Elba and begins his one hundred day rule

1806..The Foundation stone of Dartmoor Prison was laid. This was Britains first high security prison

1819...The opening of Burlington Arcade the famous and exclusive shopping precint in London

1852... Harriet Beecher Stowes anti-slavery novel 'Uncle Toms cabin' was first published. It sold more than a million copies in its first year.

1899... - At Sing Sing prison, Martha M. Place is sentenced to become the first woman executed in an electric chair.

1914...In New Haven, Connecticut, the first international figure skating championship takes place

1916... Albert Einstein publishes his general theory of relativity

1922...The USS Langley is commissioned as the first United States Navy aircraft carrier

1933...Giuseppe Zangara is executed in Florida's electric chair for fatally shooting Anton Cermak in an assassination attempt against Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

1942...In Zgierz, Poland, 100 Poles are taken from a labor camp and shot by the Germans.
Holocaust: in Rohatyn, western Ukraine, on Friday, German SS murder 3000 Jews, including 600 Jewish children, annihalating 70 % of Rohatyn's Jewish ghetto. The entire action took one day, from early morning to five o'clock in the evening. All the dead were buried in a mass grave behind the railroad station in Rohatyn.

1964...British Group The Beatles release 'Cant buy me Love' which goes straight to the top of the british charts

1974...Princess Anne survives a kidnap attempt when shots are fired at her car while driving along the Mall in London.

1980... A sad day for music when the radio ship Caroline sinks and so ends sixteen years of broadcasting.

At one point the only two radio stations worth listening to were Caroline and Luxemburg 208, music without all the chatter. Never talked over songs and always played the latest with a mix of oldies thrown in. Rockin DJ's a few of whom went on to be top Radio one DJ's, and then sadly became just like all the rest, guess thats what fame does to you.

And today well it was a lovely sunrise, that chased the stars away, but very cold here. No snow on the ground, it gave up trying I think. But as it is really cold I guess it will try again.
I used to like Radio Caroline

I have only done to 1980, for now.

Off to get ready for the world, and work of course.

Have a good day, catch you all later.

Its snowing, well an attempt at snowing anyway. Not big, beautiful flakes that settle on the ground and actually show you that there is snow. But small feathery, timid little flakes that are gone before they have fully touched the ground. Of course the hailstone showers that wet the ground beforehand haven't helped! So when I venture out, eventually, as I will have to at some point to take Molly, there may or may not be snow.

Due to an attack of dizziness, and no I am not blonde It appears I will be 'working from home' today. Luckily I have a couple of synopsis that I can do and take in tomorrow. Having spoken to the boss type people, they would prefer I do not go in to work as passing out on the premises is against health and safety? I think that was meant to be a joke, weird sense of humour my boss

It has been a strange night, a bit of sleep filled with strange dreams Then it has been strange weekend, still it is over now and it is Monday the first day of the working week, yet again.

On a positive note it was a beautiful sunrise, though it is bloomin freezing out there, guess it is waiting for the snow that is supposed to be coming our way. We got the wind and the hail and the rain, but no snow, so looks like no sledging for me tonight

We Humans are strange creatures, in the height of the summer we long for rain and cool weather, in the middle of winter we long for sunshine and warmth, never satisfied

We complain because we no longer get snow like we used to, yet when we did we complained because the snow lasted days and weeks, and was cold and wet, and the glorious white became dirty grey slush. But the sledging and the snowball fights and the snowmen never seemed to lose their glory and their fun.

And now tis time to go and make myself ready for the cruel, cold world 'out there' , thats get ready for work for those that dont do lyndspeak

Have a great monday, and if you cant, just remember it is only five days to the weekend

Words mean much more

Dont bring me fine Jewellery, for which you must pay
I have no interest in diamonds and gold
Actions speak louder than words they do say
But me, I would much rather be told

Sundays are traditionally the day of Roast dinners, the male going to the pub, the female cooking, the kids get to spend all day playing or going out with parents.

Of course there are still many families that follow the 'traditions' but just as many now I think that dont.

As a lone parent Sundays was family day, when the children were small.Once a fortnight because they spent the other Sunday with their father. We would spend all Saturday doing all the little jobs that dont get done through the week, and washing the school uniforms, and doing the bedrooms and the shopping that was needed.

Sunday morning was always greeted with a chorus of where are we going today? Breakfast was always followed with an hours reading, checking the bedrooms to make sure they were done. Playtime, board games if it was raining, play in the garden if it was fine. We didnt do Sunday Lunch as a big meal, this was our decision, born of the fact that we could please ourselves.

After Lunch my sister would turn up, this is the sister that I haven't spoken to in years, and we would get the kids ready and off we would go on our Sunday 'walk'. This walk was random, we have been known to walk as far as the next village, taking it easy, making it fun. We would take drinks and snacks, and you know it was very rare that any of the children complained.

When it snowed we would spend all day from after breakfast outside, building snowmen, sledging, and instigating snowball fights with the neighbours. When we lived in the cul-de-sac we had all the neighbours in what we called the ring out playing in the snow. Those neighbours used to love my children, said they were the best mannered, happiest kids they had ever met, which made me proud. Shame it didnt last! Even when we moved, untill they got older, we would get all the neighbours joining in.

Nowadays when it snows all I want to do is curl up in front of the fire

Actually, if there was proper snow, I would love to go sledging again.

And on a breezier note.
Happy Mothers Day to All you Mums/Mams out there.

Just got back in from a walk with The Molly, the weather out there is wild and wicked. Its blowing a gale and pouring down. What with snow forecast from tomorrow as well, that means I aint going nowhere! Brrrrrrr

It has been a long day today for some reason though the headache I have had for most of it could acount for why it has felt that way.

Ah well I shall toddle off to bed, as the famous line goes, tomorrow is another day.

Toodlepip peoples

Happy St Patricks Day