2016-01-21T08:16:34+00:00

Just Jot it January 21st – Mittens

January 21, 2016/Judy E Martin/31 Comments

Well, today’s Just Jot it January prompt word brought to us by lovely Linda is a bit of a fun one, ‘mittens.’

The first thing that springs to mind with this is those little rounded gloves that encompass all of the fingers together and keeps the thumb separate. Great for keeping the hands warm, but hopeless if you try to do anything with them on. Getting money out of a purse being particularly tricky. This means that they have to be taken off quite a bit, thereby defeating the object of keeping your hands warm!

mitten-311564_960_720 — Image courtesy of Pixabay

I remember when my daughter was young, she had a pair of mittens tied together with a long, skinny length of matching fabric that would be threaded through the sleeves of her coat. This was supposed to keep them from getting lost as they would dangle just below her hands if taken off. I think these turned about to be more hassle than they were worth, though.

Trying to get a squirming, wriggling toddler into her coat whilst avoiding tangling her up with the bloody stringed mittens was no mean feat! Not to mention we were both hot and sweaty after the struggle and she didn’t want the damned thing on anyway!

Think Before You Blog.

September 28, 2015/Judy E Martin/60 Comments

I am not one for analysing my stats (mainly because I don’t really know how to). However, I understand the basics like number of views and what my top posts are.

Today for Writing 101, we are to study our stats, and write a post based on a choice of expanding on a popular post, or trying to write specifically for people from the country that brings in the most views. We can, if we choose, write one about the search terms used that bring traffic to the blog, referrers or clicks. The latter sounds a bit too complicated for me, so I am going to keep it simple and write about my best viewed post instead.

I have noticed that one post in particular, that was my most popular, was also the one where I caused the most controversy. It was my own opinion based on the Christmas Concert that I attended at my daughter’s school which you can read here.

I have mentioned that I am prone to inappropriate laughter, and can be set off by the slightest thing. Well the drum did it during this concert, and despite trying to rein myself in, I just found it hilarious, as did my younger sister sat next to me.

I don’t know how many times I mentioned that I was actually impressed by all the work and effort that the staff and the pupils put into this concert, especially as some of the children had only just started in September and had never picked up a musical instrument. The problem was, that I had made a bit of fun on my blog, and my daughter decided to tell a few friends at school, who told other friends….who told parents…..who told teachers!

Oh dear! I had a couple of comments reminding me how difficult it was to put on this type of show. I was reminded that it was CHILDREN I was being mean to (despite me saying that I loved it at the end), and I took the post down.

I felt pretty low, even though I had intended it as a tongue-in-cheek post, it had been completely misunderstood and they had missed the point entirely. I have since put it back up as (hopefully) the dust has now settled.

I actually nearly gave up blogging after that, even though at that time I was completely anonymous, and nobody knew which school concert I had attended (until my daughter proudly informed all of her friends). It taught me a lesson though.

I shall keep my gob firmly shut after this year’s concert (assuming I am not banned)!

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Episode 381: Freestyle Writing Challenge #2

June 19, 2015/Judy E Martin/31 Comments

I have been challenged to take part in the Freestyle Writing Challenge by two lovely ladies, one being Ritu and the other Erika.

Here are the rules:

1. Open a blank document.
2. Set a stop watch timer to 5 or 10 minutes, whichever length you prefer.
3. Your topic is at the foot of this post BUT DO NOT SCROLL DOWN TO SEE IT UNTIL YOU ARE READY WITH YOUR TIMER!!!
4. Once you start writing do not stop until the alarm sounds! Do not cheat by going back and correcting spelling and grammar using spell check (it is only meant for you to reflect on your own control of sensible thought flow and for you to reflect on your ability to write with correct spelling and grammar.)
5. You may or may not pay attention to punctuation or capitals
6. At the end of your post write down the number of words to give an idea of how much you can write within the time Frame.
7. Put the whole document onto your post and nominate 5 others and give them a new topic. Remember to copy paste the rules in!

I have gone with the topic that Ritu chose, as I saw her nomination first, however Erika also had a great topic.

What I thought life would be like as an adult when I was a kid.

When I was a kid I thought that life was going to be so much better as an adult. After all, there would not be a load of brothers and sisters around to have to share everything with! I also used to hat eth fact that myself and younger sister had to go to bed at the same time even though I was two years older than her! I thought that it would be great being an adult as I would be able to go to bed at whatever time I wanted!

I envisioned myself with a husband and a few kids loving in my own large house probably somewhere by the sea. I didn’t consider how I would get to wherewithal to pay for all the wonderful things I would have. I knew that I would probably work, but I thought It would be with children as a nanny or something like that.

One thing I did know though was that I did not want to live on my own, ever! Although I am quite happy in my own company, and in fact like being on my own quite a lot, I also like to know that there is someone else in the house so that I am not completely alone.

I thought life as an adult would be doing what I wanted all of the time, without having to consider anyone else’s feelings. I could eat when and what I wanted; watch anything I liked on TV, go anywhere I liked; and that life would be filled with fun with no responsibilities!

264 Words, 10 Mins.

Here are my nominees as I would love to see their responses to this challenge.

weebluebirdie

Hummingbird Redemption

The Offkey of Life

AimerBoyz

Nutsrok

Your topic is

What music gets you up on the dancefloor?

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Episode 370: The Purpose of My Life!

June 11, 2015/Judy E Martin/46 Comments

A Momma’s View has set a challenge and prompt that she had nominated me, and a few others for. In it, she asks for us to say what we think our purpose in life is and what we’ll take home when we leave.

It’s funny but this is something I rarely think about when I am feeling all happy and bright! It is more something I ponder when I am feeling down and grotty, However, this is going to be a positive post so any negative vibes can bugger off and leave me to my happy thoughts!

I always thought when I was younger that my purpose in life was going to be something to do with children. When I was growing up I always wanted to be a Nanny looking after other people’s children before settling down and having my own family with quite a few children of my own. After all, I was one of six myself.

Becoming an aunty when I was 15 years old only reinforced this wish, to nurture and look after children, and I used to get up in the night with my niece to give her bottles, and babysit as often as I could.

Well, for a number of reasons, it was not meant to be that I had lots of children (Although I do have some waiting for me in heaven), or even fulfil my wish to work with children as I went off and joined the Army instead!

Fast forward a couple of decades, a couple of ex-husbands and a fair few jobs, ranging from working for the Department of Work and Pensions to working in a kebab shop. plus a few more in-between! Then I got a job in nursing!

I loved it. My daughter was very young then (about 2) and I was on my own, but I managed to get this job as a Healthcare Assistant at the Day Hospital, working mainly with the elderly who came in for a number of therapies and meetings, as well as to attend clinics. This seemed like the job I had been looking to do all this time.

However. my hours got changed after 18 months, and as my daughter was just starting school at 4 years old, and no longer attended nursery I had to look for something else! Funnily enough, it turned out to be in the local secondary school on the ‘Student Desk.’ What an eye-opener. I have never been sworn at so much in my life! Suffice it to say it wasn’t what I had expected it to be (huge respect to you teachers)!

Anyway, I got back together with Mr Grump at this time after 25 years apart and we got married. I managed to get back into nursing and go to University for 2 years to train for a higher position as I wanted to learn more. Again, by choice, I work with the elderly.

I feel perhaps my purpose in life was not to work with children (although I am truly blessed to have my daughter), but rather to try to help look after elderly people. To offer them a friendly face and cheery disposition, and have a few laughs with them as well.

As for what I will take home with me. I think it will be the knowledge that I have tried really hard. I have tried to instill in my daughter old-fashioned manners and consideration, and despite the challenges we have both faced, I do know that she can be compassionate and kind to others when needed. I have tried to be a good friend, a good mum (not always easy), a good wife (3rd time lucky! The other 2 husbands were not exactly the best either) and a good worker (I know at least I got that bit right)!

I would like to nominate the following, should they wish to participate:

Episode 70: Growing Up Too Fast!

December 9, 2014/Judy E Martin/7 Comments

Miss Hap decided to surprise me this morning. She was up pretty early and thought it would be nice if she finished off making my breakfast for me whilst I was having my bath….

Now I am a creature of habit, and routine (I CAN do spontaneous, but it’s not easy)! When I am working,my breakfast consists of a hard-boiled egg, wholemeal pitta bread, and a little cheese sprinkled on top. Anyway I had put my egg on to boil, and halved the pitta, which I shoved in the toaster, then I went up to have a quick bath, by which time everything would be ready.

I came downstairs to be greeted by Miss Hap in her pyjamas looking despondently at my egg, still in its shell on the worktop.

“Sorry Mum, I’ve broken the egg slicer”, she said dejectedly, “but I’ve fixed it with Sellotape!” I followed her gaze to my patched up egg slicer. One of the wires was broken and had been taped securely to a couple of the others, rendering the whole thing pretty useless. I reassured her that it didn’t matter, and for now I would just cut up the egg. I could see that she had thought of that as the egg was positioned on the chopping board with a butter knife close by. This was presumably to cut the egg up through the shell.! I showed her how to crack the egg in order to peel the shell off, which she did for me chunking off quite a bit of the white with it, in the process. What was left of the egg, I divided into the two pitta halves!

I have made a bit of a rod for my own back by not teaching Miss hap to do any chores, and I suppose at 11 years old she should be helping out around the house. I know me and my sisters certainly had to at her age; that is partly why I have left it so long for her.

Due to her inheriting my clumsiness, I have not allowed her as yet to wash or dry the dishes unless there is anything unbreakable, as I didn’t want all my crockery landing up in a smashed heap! she is allowed to make cups of tea and coffee (that is a MUST in our family) but doesn’t bring in the finished drink as she worries that she will get burnt! The one time she did bring it in she used the oven gloves (she is high on initiative, if not common sense)!

She doesn’t have to do any vacuuming (I worry that either the vacuum will get bashed to smithereens or the furniture will), She will sometimes help me hang out the washing though (well she will hand me the pegs at least)and on the odd occasion has helped me clean the bathroom. Other than that, she doesn’t even run her own bath, as again she worries that she might burn her hand on the hot tap, and knowing her, I worry too, so do it for her!

I think I probably mollycoddle her a bit too much; I must admit I am surprised when I know some kids get up and make themselves breakfast, which my daughter never does as, left to her own devices, she would raid the crisps or something.I don’t want her to grow up too fast, but neither do I want her not to be able to do anything for herself when she is older.

What do you think? Is 11 too young for chores?

Rhyme and No Reason!

Blogger, author and rhymester who likes to find the humour in life.

Tag: children

Just Jot it January 21st – Mittens

Think Before You Blog.

Episode 381: Freestyle Writing Challenge #2

Episode 370: The Purpose of My Life!

Episode 70: Growing Up Too Fast!

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Rhyme and No Reason!

Blogger, author and rhymester who likes to find the humour in life.

Just Jot it January 21st – Mittens

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Think Before You Blog.

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Episode 381: Freestyle Writing Challenge #2

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Episode 370: The Purpose of My Life!

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Episode 70: Growing Up Too Fast!

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Follow Blog via Email

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Judy E Martin

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Thanks for visiting

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