love those cupcakes

It's the way you tell 'em

  

In a couple of weeks the Boy here (on the right in the photograph) will be 21. 

Unbelievable.

There are lots of stories from the past 21 years but I'm reminded of a joke he made up when he was 6 which has become something of a family classic.

We were in a car, driving to somewhere in southern California.  The Boy was sitting in the back with his older sister, the Gorgeous Girlie, and clearly thought it was time for some in-car entertainment.

Boy:  Knock knock.

GG:   Who's there?

Boy:  Banana.

GG:   Banana who?

Boy:  Banana Jenkins.

This still makes me laugh.

A lot.

Even if the 6 year old Boy didn't quite get the essence of the "knock knock" format. (And where on earth did he get Jenkins from?)

You could try it out on someone.

Still not laughing?

OK.

Maybe you had to be there.

The clues are there

For me, the new season starts with the autumnal equinox later this month.  And there are clear signs that autumn really is just around the corner.   There are lots of changes in the garden and countryside near our house, there's a different scent in the air, nights are cooler and days are noticeably shorter.  Or as my dear old dad used to say, "It's getting late early!". 

Need. Sleep. Now.

(Image from www.lolpups.com/webcomics)

I've tried:

Counting sheep.

Counting pigs.

Avoiding caffeine.

Visualising something peaceful.

Visualising something boring.

Thinking purple thoughts.

Toe wiggling.

Tummy rubbing.

Facing north.

Facing south.

Sniffing lavender.

Yawning.

Reading.

Not reading.

All to no avail. 

Ironically, I'm married to a man who could kip on a washing line, day or night.   (Maybe there's only so much sleep to go around and he's sleeping my portion as well as his own). 

Shame these aren't available here.  Not a cure but oh, how comforting in the middle of a sleepless night.

Jamie and the Giant Peach

I caught the tail end of a discussion on Radio 4 the other day about women who go out with short men (and men who date taller women) and it got me thinking.  I only had one boyfriend who was smaller than me (I'm not that tall, about 5' 9'' ish in my prime ) and I was always conscious of the height difference.  I only ever wore flats and I seem to remember developing the habit of walking in the gutter whilst he stayed on the pavement.

When I was at university I had a friend who was 6 feet without shoes.  It didn't bother her at all that most (probably all, come to think of it) of the lads she was attracted to were considerably shorter than she was. I was always impressed that she "walked tall", whoever she was with, and, when she eventually married, she vehemently rejected the photographer's suggestion to stand her brand new husband on a box!   Incidentally, the bloke I married is a respectable 6' 4'' so I've been able to stay out of the gutters and could easily wear heels if only the dodgy ankles would allow. 

The height difference doesn't seem to matter to Sophie Dahl and Jamie Cullum and I'm sure there'll be no talk of standing on boxes at their wedding.

I had a quick browse of Sophie's new recipe book whilst in Borders last week

but couldn't decide whether it was a good buy.  So I put it back.

All ears

                                    

I've spent the last three days focused on using my ears.  Listening.  To a lot of people with a lot to say.  At the end of the three days I was exhausted, even though I'd been mostly just sitting, trying to concentrate on what people wanted me to hear and understand.  And I realised that listening, really listening, isn't easy. 

We're so adept at doing several things at once that it's become second nature to only half-listen. How often do you find yourself occupied in a task - maybe in the kitchen, at the computer, in the office - or you're engrossed in a TV programme or book and someone - a child, a spouse, a parent -  starts talking to you?  You don't give them your full attention and only half hear what's being said.  How many times do you mutter agreement, only to have to ask "What did you just say?"  Have you continued doing something whilst someone talks to you on the phone?  And do you ever half listen because you're actually thinking about what you're going to say once the other person eventually shuts up?   I 'm guilty of all of these.  Yet we all have a need to be heard.  And be properly listened to. 

So, I'm aiming to get better at using my ears and really listening.  Because....

 "The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen.Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention.  (Rachel Naomi Remen)

And, after all,

"Your ears will never get you in trouble".  (Frank Tyger)