Another child ill today. LC has held out well but this morning she ate no breakfast and fell asleep on the sofa. It's been a long week. Tx stayed at home with her while I took the other four walking on The Strawberry Trail from Botley to Manor farm. Too much time apart this week. Lots of mud.
Big horse. Ducks. Robin.
Mary Poppins. Enchanting. It's the shoes. Sexy sexy shoes. One of my favourite films. The Chimney Sweep sequence is always a delight. Doesn't patronise the audience. It's long - the kids can follow it. Good, imaginative film-making.
They don't make them like that any more.

My back still aches and my throat is still sore.

Vision statement for work is crap. I won't bother with it.
We need to develop Maturity, Stability and Sustainability. Nervous about tomorrow.

Trout Mask Replica Captain Beefheart
Appetite for Destruction Guns 'n' Roses

I always seem to get thoughtful this time of year.
Looking back, looking forward. Like lots of other people I am sure.

There isn't a lot of change in my outlook for 2008 and it would be good to have a year of stability and consolidation. This applies especially to the office where we need to start planning for the future a lot more considerately. I have meant to put together a 'vision statement' but that is one of the other things that just haven't happened.

We have talked about tryingto be a little more honest with each other and everyone else. It has to begin at home if I am to stand any chance of being more so with Kink and Biscuit.
I need to accept that it is perfectly OK to SHOW THEM (and others) that sometimes I am pissed off, disappointed, upset etc with things they say or do and that this doesn't mean that I love them any less.
Sounds ridiculous, but I do think it is something I have a problem with generally. Especially with them of course and it is understandable, but I believe our relationship has improved so much this year that I really should be more openwith them.
Easier said than done.
So much is.

The last album on the playlist this year (even I can only listen to "Running Across Thin Ice With Tigers SEVEN times in a row...) is Robert Wyatt's 'Cuckooland' from 2003.

Mad. Weird. Why do I like this kind of sh*t?

And here's a couple of things I wouldn't normally do, but I am feeling frivolous and I think pp would forgive me for stealing this.

1.What is your favourite childhood memory?
Playing French cricket with my grandad in his pear orchard....
2. What Was Your Favourite Childrens TV programme?
Blue Peter
3. What is the most embarassing thing that's ever happened to you?
Little things embarass me far too much.
Tonight I served up a risotto with seriously undercooked rice...
4.What was the first record you ever bought?
I can Do It by the Rubettes.
First album The Kick Inside by Kate Bush - still my all time favourite
5. What is the most important thing you learnt as a child?
Respecting people for being comfortable with where they are and what they have
6. When were you last star-struck?
ICA in September
7. Which celebrity have you most enjoyed meeting?
F*xx. But I have a beautiful memory of sharing a mug of tea at the coastguards cafe at Cley with Bill Oddie after he had just shown my daughter her first Spoonbill
8. Which website do you visit most often?
pass
9.Who is your hero or heroine?
Marc ALmond. Rolf Harris
10. Which talent would you most like to have?
To be musical
11. What makes you happy?
My life makes me happy.
12.What scares you?
My past. And spiders
13. What are you reading?
His Dark Materials. Paul's letters
14. What is your guilty pleasure?
Had too many of those and I'm comfortable with moving on
15. What wakes you up in the morning?
Beautiful Baggins and her bountiful bogeys
16. How do you unwind?
Listening to music, writing, blogging, walking/playing/being with the kids, prayer
17. Where do you escape to?
The Building over the road
18. The best holiday you ever had?
Two weeks in Ireland when I met my wife
19 Favourite building?
The Building over the road
20. Is there an afterlife?
I don't believe in and have no experience of endings.
21. What's your takeaway of choice?
Indian
22. Is your glass half empty or half full?
Overflowing
23.What moment changed your life?
More than one.
Becoming a parent - it's new and exciting every time. My ex-partner being sectioned under the Mental health Act.Being invited to That party in Oxford. Meeting That woman in Ireland. Taking up the Alpha Course. The phone call from Ris in 2003
Our lievs are constantly changing.
This question should read '...changed your life most significantly.'
24.Describe yourself in three words
Blessed. Articulate. Confiding.

It would appear to be next year.
I wish I could understand the fuss.
It's like Christmas - are people unable to have a good time and be fulfilled the rest of the year?

Perhaps I will be less cynical in 2008...

Had no intention of staying up to see out 2007, but here I am ahving survived two really difficult days of feeling absolutely crap. Yesterday just about everything ached and I feel as if I have been hit by a train. My turn I supppose to bear what has struck down the rest of the family.
And I am so bad at being ill. I simply cannot take the sensible advice and stop (although I had to yesterday) and being unable to do 'stuff' in general drives me mad.
So today, to prevent myself going absolutely stir crazy I have done nothing more than plant up 100-odd daffodil bulbs in the church (and a few tulips/crocuses) which has unfortunately made my back ache even worse!!

Honestly, the things we do for life, eh?

had to cancel parties yesterday and this evening due to everyone being dead but I do hope for a better start tomorrow when we have talked about doing the Christmas picnic. Trouble is, its pissing down now and the forecast is not good.
if we have to stay in AGAIN I think I will go mad!!!

I'm here because I have realised my Friday deadline for the Walks mapping is this Friday and I have managed to complete only two of the twenty five titles required. Hmm...
In fact, since Christmas I have been unable to do anything useful much at all what with one person being ill or another, so one of the household things have got done either.
Ho hum.

But now I'm catching up with this instead of working, and earlier I spent another couple of hours (while the kids consumed another DVD - two of them asleep and another coughing his heart out...) sorting through bootlegs. Found another gem I shamefully didn't know I had. Manchester Hacienda from TGS tour, which means I have nine of these and they are all pretty good.