Love is Infinite

When we arrive upon this earth
From the moment of our birth
Until our dying breath
God gives us love to give to others,
To our fathers and our mothers,
To children, spouses, friends and lovers
To last until our death.

We're born not with a bank of love
That everyone we love must share.
No, love expands to meet each need.
And where it lands it sows a seed.
We cannot know where love will lead
But all that love from God above
Is there, with some to spare.

Snoods,Jumpers & Socks.

I have been having a discussion with my Tokyo friend who is busy knitting neck warmers now apparently called "snoods". We agreed that snoods aren't what they used to be. I wore a snood under my tin hat in 1942 to keep my hair tidy. My boss, a lovely little exIndian Army Colonel with a splendid moustache, once asked me why ladies were wearing string bags on their heads. I saw his point. My granddaughter gave me a snood (modern style) for Christmas. It can be worn as a scarf, a hat or a Balaclava. Very useful if you are a terrorist! My friend and I also discussed knitting jumpers for chickens. Yes, I did say chickens! Apparently some poor battery hens lose all their feathers because of the conditions they are kept in. Someone has set up a shelter for them and sent out an appeal for people to knit jumpers for the chickens as the poor things feel the cold. Just as we two were getting all enthusiastic about our next knitting project we read that the appeal has been so successful that they don't need any more jumpers at present.
To get on to my 3rd subject - Socks. There have been letters in the Telegraph about how many ties men possess. I knew a young man who had 32 pairs of dark red socks. Once a month he took them to the launderette so that every day he had clean socks and he didn't have to worry about finding a matching pair.
Having sent a letter to the paper today about this I look at my emails . I follow an American lady's blog. Today she has written a piece about her husband's sock drawer. How's that for a coincidence ? See blog below.

http://www.70-something.com/

Beryl Cook

I have been reading (on my computer) about Beryl Cook, the artist. I like her fat ladies just as I like saucy seaside post cards. Does this show a vulgar mind? The Establishment disapproved of her but I like the way she shows the sunny side of life. Too many modern artists only show the drab side.
This is one of those occasions when I want to ask someone a question and they are no longer there. I read that her father-in-law was a tax officer in Reading Tax Office before the war, as was my husband Don They probably worked together. Another of my tenuous brushes with fame!

The Young Ones

Move over, Bill Gates! Better keep an eye on France. They should give an eight year old boy with every computer you buy. Or better still - Buy One and get two of these free!

The Nursery Rhyme Book

Yesterday I pinched my finger in my desk drawer and it jolly well hurt! This tweaked a memory.
In 1955, when my son was two, we bought a book called "The Oxford Nursery Rhyme Book" by Iona and Peter Opie, a couple who were folklorists and spent years collecting children's games, rhymes and riddles and put them into this book. I am looking at it now and all the children I have shown it to love it, including my two smallest grandchildren. Some of the games for small children are familiar ones you play on your hands.
We taught our small son the names of his fingers. Tom Thumbkin, Willie Wilkin, Long Daniel, Betty Bodkin and Little Dick. He came in from the garden one day crying loudly. "What's wrong?" I asked. " I've hurt my finger". he wailed. I took him on my lap. "Show me" I said "and I will kiss it better. Which one is it?" He held up his hand. "Little Dick" he sobbed.

A Reference

Searching through some old diaries for the name of a hotel in India I finally found what I was looking for. My memory was all wrong. Don used to say that the palest ink was more reliable than the longest memory and so it proved. However, my search did reveal some thing I had forgotten. This was my Headmistress's reference on my leaving school aged 16.

"Jessie Ellis is a girl of very good intelligence, reliable character and industrious habits. She is pleasant in manner and speech, willing and obedient. She has had some commercial training and should prove a very efficient employee."

On reading this I can't help feeling she was gilding the lily a bit. I did get a job in the Post Office as a clerk after passing the Civil Service exam. This was a few months before WW2 broke out when my life changed completely.

New Year's Honours

I often wonder at the people who turn up in the New Year's Honours list. This year I was very pleased to see that the delightful Antonio Pappano. Director of music at Covent Garden Opera House, had been knighted. He richly deserves it for the pleasure he has given to so many people. He is so talented and so obviously enjoys what he is doing. I give you a little taste.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=PBlHLIsNsCI

Weather

The days are lengthening and the weather continues mild. Today has seen high winds and torrential rain butit is still not cold. I have just been reading about Charles Babbage the computer pioneer who died in 1871. He advocated the decimalisation of currency and predicted the exhaustion of coal. He said if posterity failed to find a substitute for coal it deserved to be frostbitten! What would he make of our present search for renewable energy sources?