Not quite!

I did offer to strike the Kate Winslet pose but couldn't find a willing suitable "Leonardo"

Rather impressive don't you think?

Here they are standing next to a standard size tractor.

Not only am I an unpublished poet but according to a recent Google search:

Winter has been denounced and better weather should now follow!

Sorry I don't have a picture to share with you.

I overheard this conversation between my grandchildren Louis(4) and Aimée(6)

If only life was that simple.

* at this point my son-in-law frowned and my daughter shrugged her shoulders!

Seeing Usky's posting of "The Wreck of Helvetia" reminded me that when I was younger, my Dad used to say that I looked like "The Wreck of the Hesperous". I thought I'd find Longfellow's poem - here it is:

The Wreck of the Hesperous

It was the schooner Hesperous,
That sailed the wintry sea;
And the skipper had taken his little daughter,
To bear him company.

Blue were her eyes as the fairy-flax,
Her cheeks like the dawn of day,
And her bosom white as the hawthorn buds,
That ope in the month of May.

The skipper he stood beside the helm,
His pipe was in his mouth,
And he watched how the veering flaw did blow
The smoke now West, now South.

Then up spake an old Sailor,
Had sailed to the Spanish Main,
"I pray thee, put into yonder port,
For I fear a hurricane.

"Last night, the moon had a golden ring,
And to-night no moon we see!"
The skipper, he blew a whiff from his pipe,
And a scornful laugh laughed he.

Colder and louder blew the wind,
A gale from the Northeast,
The snow fell hissing in the brine,
And the billows frothed like yeast.

Down came the storm, and smote amain
The vessel in its strength;
She shuddered and paused, like a frighted steed,
Then leaped her cable's length.

"Come hither! come hither! my little daughter,
And do not tremble so;
For I can weather the roughest gale
That ever wind did blow."

He wrapped her warm in his seaman's coat
Against the stinging blast;
He cut a rope from a broken spar,
And bound her to the mast.

"O father! I hear the church-bells ring,
Oh, say, what may it be?"
"'Tis a fog-bell on a rock-bound coast!"--
And he steered for the open sea.

"O father! I hear the sound of guns,
Oh, say, what may it be?"
"Some ship in distress, that cannot live
In such an angry sea!"

"O father! I see a gleaming light,
Oh, say, what may it be?"
But the father answered never a word,
A frozen corpse was he.

Lashed to the helm, all stiff and stark,
With his face turned to the skies,
The lantern gleamed through the gleaming snow
On his fixed and glassy eyes.

Then the maiden clasped her hands and prayed
That saved she might be;
And she thought of Christ, who stilled the wave
On the Lake of Galilee.

And fast through the midnight dark and drear,
Through the whistling sleet and snow,
Like a sheeted ghost, the vessel swept
Towards the reef of Norman's Woe.

And ever the fitful gusts between
A sound came from the land;
It was the sound of the trampling surf
On the rocks and the hard sea-sand.

The breakers were right beneath her bows,
She drifted a dreary wreck,
And a whooping billow swept the crew
Like icicles from her deck.

She struck where the white and fleecy waves
Looked soft as carded wool,
But the cruel rocks, they gored her side
Like the horns of an angry bull.

Her rattling shrouds, all sheathed in ice,
With the masts, went by the board;
Like a vessel of glass, she stove and sank,
Ho! ho! the breakers roared!

At daybreak, on the bleak sea-beach,
A fisherman stood aghast,
To see the form of a maiden fair,
Lashed close to a drifting mast.

The salt sea was frozen on her breast,
The salt tears in her eyes;
And be saw her bair, like the brown sea-weed,
On the billows fall and rise.

Such was the wreck of the Hesperus,
In the midnight and the snow!
Christ save us all from a death like this,
On the reef of Norman's Woe!

Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I wonder why the grass is green
And why the wind is never seen?
Who taught the birds to built a nest
And told the trees to take a rest?
Or, when the moon is not quite round
Where can the missing bit be found?
Who lights the stars, when they blow out
And makes the lightning flash about?
Who paints the rainbow in the sky
And hangs the fluffy clouds so high?
Why is it now, do you suppose
That dad won't tell me if he knows?

By Jeannie Kirby

This was a poem I learned at junior school!

Not a pretty sight!

You were warned!

That'll teach you! This is,of course, a banned band picture!

What else did you expect?

Well I'm not proud but I'm definitely prejudiced.
No-one does Mr Darcy like Colin Firth!

...............................February 20th - March 20th...............................

Your year ahead

You refuse to be held to any standard this year. Marching to the beat of your own drummer continues to gives you the greatest pleasure, even if it does stir up trouble from time to time.

Fortunately, you won’t have nearly as many clashes, collisions and conflicts with authority figures this year. That’s because 2008 is prompting you to focus more on social pursuits, rather than career matters. Spending time with people of power and influence will seem more important than climbing the ladder of success.

If you’ve been struggling with an addiction, there’s never been a better time to join a support group. You should also seek help if you’re in a co-dependent relationship, as reaching out to others will have a transformative effect on your life. (By Russell Grant)

Right Usky!

............................HERE IS THE ANSWER............................

A Beastly Challenge

Mine

A Bloggipher

A bloggipher is a large mammal. It doesn’t make a sound and hardly ever moves. It eats anything that is put before it and seldom forages for its own food. It is a very private creature and, if given the opportunity, would like a cuddle. Sometimes it is scary when provoked. Bloggiphers don’t like living in captivity but once befriended make very good pets.

Notbob’s

The Notbobcat

Small timid mammal of the polecat family. Unusal in that its soft fur disguises a hardened almost scaly skin. Will eat almost anything though it tends to survive on a diet of nuts, fruit, grain and tubers. Easily scared, though with time can be tamed but not changed. Its lack of teeth tend to make its bark far worse than its bite.

Boredrich's

The Boredrich

A large sloth like creature slow moving almost to the extent of being static for most of the day (especailly during work) mostly domesticated but still tends to rub his butt on the floor in company impeccable manners and once you have one this is a friend for life. eats whatever he can get his mitts on apart from fish and the fluff under the microwave. answers to the name of "oi you" or "just fix the sodding thing" whilst in work mode but otherwise soft, cuddly and yet slightly mischiveous

Silent planet's

The Silent Magpie

Although perfectly capable of long distance flight, it tends to hang round the same territory. It's black and white plumage is modest, although a few find it aluring. Bird watchers report that the Silent Magpie can be attracted by most sorts of music and given oppertunity will dance in a very unskilled manor. This is put down to a mild form of insanity rather than mating ritual. The silent magpie is so called becasue it tends to stay silent and learn from the other birds, unless it has something usefull to cherp about(Unless it got a blog, then it would probably spout rubbish all day).

Spiritbird's

A Grumpalump.

A grumpalump has a humanoid shape but is usually slightly bent over in a grovelling position. The Grumpalump does not make a good pet and is often shunned by its mate after a short while. The Grumpalump is not a pretty creature, sometimes it neglects itself and sits or lies down in a corner with its back to the world and growls to itself. The Grumpalump usually lives to a good age despite never being satisfied no matter what its keeper may do for it. The Grumpalump is an anti social creature and is avoided by most other creatures except its own kind. They may joun together in small groups on occasion and can be heard for quite a distance making growling noises. Normal people should avoid a Grumpalump as they have been known to pass on an infectious disease called Misrabloodyitis, a contagious and debilitating condition that can send people insane.

Rithompson's

The Asboffe.

The Asboffe is a loud mammal. It's natural habitat is roaming urban environments, scavenging for alcoholic beverages and nicotine. It's appearance is initially threatening - with the hard, emotionless face and the wrists full of "blinging" jewellery - especially to the rare species Dailimailer who have been bred to attack the Asboffes. However, once befriended, The Asboffe is a pleasant young creature and can be house trained.

Go on have a go - you know you want to!

Just for fun.

Here’s mine:

A Bloggipher

A bloggipher is a large mammal. It doesn’t make a sound and hardly ever moves. It eats anything that is put before it and seldom forages for its own food. It is a very private creature and, if given the opportunity, would like a cuddle. Sometimes it is scary when provoked. Bloggiphers don’t like living in captivity but once befriended make very good pets.

Right it's your turn!

I've just realised that I haven't quite mastered the art of this.

So it seems that I drink three times more water than wine. I must try and redress the balance!

ps before you shout about paying for bottled water - if you saw the inside of my washing up bowl you'd know why I don't drink tap water!

Or one of the "little folks"!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Is your friends' list unmanageable?

Now there's a solution.

It's as easy as ABC!

A. Go to the Blog Break Blog.
B. Write a post stating your intention.
C. "Tag" your message with your username.

Then you can go ahead and trim your list. If you've removed someone who still wants to be on your list they can then re-invite you to be their friend.

This system works both ways. If you discover that one of your friends has disappeared from your list go to the Blog Break Blog and look for their username in the "tags" list. Click on their username and you should find a message from that person.

Please circulate this information to all your blogfriends.

Thank you.

Here's a quick link to the Blog Break Blog

No I'm not being rude or name calling.

.................... ever wear these?

Perhaps I'm in the wrong job!

Here we are again circa 06:30

It’s going to be a long few days!

Many thanks to everyone who supported the initiative to provide a "where are they now?" sort of blog which was launched yesterday.

On a lighter vein I've decided that in future any invitation to become a friend will have to be followed up with a PFA (Pre Friendship Agreement). I have drawn up the following pro-forma document

Pre Friendship Agreement

I promise to be your blogfriend as long as you promise:

Not to be a spammer

Not to be hurt if I don’t leave regular comments on your blog

Not to leave comments on my blog unless you really want to

Not to be upset if I miss your birthday

Not to leave BCUK without saying goodbye

In return I promise:

Not to be a spammer

Not to sulk if you don’t leave regular comments on my blog

Not to leave comments on your blog for whatever reason

Not to be upset if you miss my birthday

Not to leave BCUK without saying goodbye

By inviting and accepting to be friends we both agree to adhere to this agreement

Did you know that March is "National Bed Month"?

Here are a few tips to help you achieve a better night's sleep.

8 tips that will help you sleep better

1. Keep it regular - Make sure you go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same times every day, including the weekends. This helps set your biological clock - in no time, your sleep schedule will become a routine.

2. Avoid alcohol and caffeine - Avoid drinking caffeinated-beverages before bed. While many people think of alcohol as a sedative, drinking it before bed results in disrupted and poor-quality sleep.

3. Stop smoking - Nicotine is a stimulant and affects sleep in the same way as caffeine. Smoking can cause disrupted sleep.

4. Make your bedroom a place for sleeping - Your bedroom should be the place where you feel the most relaxed - so get rid of any clutter, keep the lighting low and, most of all, banish the telly to the living room. If you normally send emails from bed, your body is going to recognize it as a place to be alert.

5. Relax your mind and body - For the best night's sleep, wind down with a bubble bath, candlelight and music, yoga, or a good book. You'll fall asleep more quickly and sleep better if your mind and body aren't wound up. If you exercise on the way home from the office, try stopping by the gym on the way in.

6. Sleep in a comfortable bed - If you want to wake up well-rested, sleep on a mattress that is not too hard, not too soft, and not too old.

7. Leave your troubles at the door - If you’re worrying about what you need to get done tomorrow, make a to-do or priorities list. When you wake up, you'll feel organized and ready to take on the day.

8. Put some thought into what you eat - Going to bed over-stuffed can leave you feeling uncomfortable, making it hard to fall asleep. However, going to bed on an empty stomach is just as bad. Have a small dinner 2-3 hours before you go to sleep, and if you need a snack, try turkey, milk, or peanut butter. They contain the amino acid tryptophan which causes you to feel sleepy

At first I thought it might be a hangover.

LET THIS BE A WARNING!

When BCUK introduced "Special Interest Groups" a few weeks back I got a bit carried away and promptly joined a few namely:

Bloggersabroad Group - for obvious reasons.
Wine Lovers Group - for equally obvious reasons.
Theatre Group - for obvious reasons.
BCUK Community Group - for curiosity.
Photography Group - reluctantly but now joyfully.
Blogmeets Blog - because I want to attend a blogmeet.

Today I decided to leave three of the groups because they are very "inactive". I managed to quit the Wine Lovers Group and the BCUK Community Group and so I bid a fond farewell to the remaining members of those groups.

So much for looking at the world through rose-coloured spectacles! Thanks to the magic of BCUK I am now going round in circles and looking at rust. Here's something round and rusty.

I thought this might cheer you up ........

Marian x

The sights you see on a Wednesday lunchtime!

Well I guess even Devils and Flower Fairies have to eat sometime!

Antonio Vivaldi the composer who wrote "The Four Seasons" was born on this day in 1678. This got me wondering - what is seasonal?

I'm so glad that I brought in some extra logs yesterday!

One surprising thing I've discovered since I started blogging is the fantastic community here on BCUK. There is so much genuine support that goes on day after day. Just recently I came across this word of advice that I thought was worth passing on.

“Work towards acceptance of the situation - which is not the same as liking it”

Simple but sound advice.

I thought that Usky's Bronze Age Man could do with some company!

Don't you think they make a lovely pair?