Tuesday 27 October 2009

Granny to be

My beautiful daughter is due to be having her own beautiful daughter in March next year.
Does it make me feel old? - Yes; does this make me feel scared? - Yes, does this make me feel proud that she can take life in her stride and make adult decisions when faced with circumstances that she has not planned? - Emphatically Yes
I love my daughter unconditionally and she, along with Nigel, is the magic sparkle in my life.
She will be a great and wise mother, I hope that I can do them both justice in my role as Granny.

Monday 19 October 2009

Worms for tea



Well not really (udon noodles)...It does remind me though of digging the allotment. The soil is really healthy. Every fork load brings up at least three or four worms.
We took Callie and Mum and Dad T down to the allotment yesterday. We noticed that some of the purple sprouting is ready to start harvesting yum!

Saturday 3 October 2009

new bed and boys ready for bed


Neighbourhood dispute

Nigel's band, Pindown, have a gig coming up in December (details are on his blog). This has stimulated some discussion between us as the venue that the promoter has arranged is not accessible to some people with physical disabilities.
Our discussions have got me thinking more generally about the lack of music venues in Ipswich and the fact that some of those that do exist are not fully accessible.
Last night we went to an excellent Peppery Productions gig at the Manor Ballroom. A friend of mine was there who usually uses a wheelchair but who was last night getting about with crutches.
She, and many other people that I know personally and professionally are excluded from participating in the enjoyment of live music because of the inadequacies of some venues.
This is often out of the control of the owners, who, although having requirements to make reasonable adjustments under the Disability Discrimination Act,are sometimes unable to because of cost implications or the nature of their building.
Bands are therefore forced to compromise in order to play gigs.
I don't know of any bands (except any in the Screwdriver mode) that would play a venue that excluded people on the basis of their religion, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation - so why are bands still playing venues that are, by default, excluding people on the basis of their disability?

Nigel's carpentry skills

I can't upload the photos yet as my phone is in the dock - playing my favourite Lou Rhodes album and I can't bear to switch it off - but Nigel built the new raised bed today. It looks really good.
I got on with planting more onions, harvesting butternut squash and clearing where they had been growing. The bonus was that I had time to weed half of the brassica bed as well, which was much needed and unexpected.
We got home and as the temperature has dropped today I lit our first fire of the season. The back room is now really cosy - a good book, good few cats, good music and glass of good wine are adding to the ambience.
Only downside to the day is that I have got to start the sleeve of my coat (knitting project) again due to my failure to interpret the pattern correctly...grrrrr.
I will post photo soon.