A very English custom.

Queuing is a custom us English are renowned for, but today I did something very unusual for the average English person. I left a queue, twice. However, let me first explain the circumstances:

Today, my friend and I went to the the Swindon Mela, which was lovely, but twice I got into a queue for a henna design. The first time, we were summoned to go home before I had been patterned upon, and on the return we stood for a while before I decided it wasn't a productive use of my time or money, and instead I sampled some delightful samosas.

Maybe I'll redeem my English qualities with the complaint that the queues weren't very organised, on neither occasion could I tell where the end of the queue was, or where it was going.

English queuing aside, I had a splendid time, and both food and music were amazing, and my friends mother and I had a lovely chat about the beautiful housing in Old Town.

xxxx

A mirage of the future.

Today, I have been dreaming about the future, as I presume the vast majority of humanity also does. I, however, been more specifically looking at the frivolous items I wish to own, and not even covetable objects either. For example, one item I was particularly enjoying looking at was tableware and tea services, and selecting the lovely designs I'd like. Yes, I spent today looking at plates and teapots. No, it's not on an average teenagers wishlist. Yet, this teenager was also looking at pastel coloured sewing machines and retro-look biscuit tins, that make a home look oh-so-cosy.

What type of house will these objects reside in? A large, Georgian or Victorian house, on the outskirts of a village. A village where I'll organise street parties, and we shall all share and share alike, allowing neighbours to borrow teabags when they've run out. I shall always be decked out immaculately in my thirties and forties style outfits.

Oh and of course by this time flying pigs will actually be both biologically and physically possible, perhaps even possible because of my scientific research. Unless I marry an Earl, or Duke this future of mine seems most unlikely, no matter how hard I work to get a degree with honours. This is trouble when a realist attempts to dream, they cut the string of their own metaphorical kite.

xxxx

A one woman army in the making.

Last night and today, I've found myself alive with ideas. For those who don't know, during term time, I help out once a week at a local Brownie Pack, but this September the original Brown Owl is leaving, and so there will be oppotunity for some changes, as despite being a really nice lady, the girls would never do activities and instead wasted away a lot of time talking. So, yesterday evening, I was watching a programme on the 100 years of Girlguiding- admittedly for the second time, and it really struck me what an oppotunity our Brownies had been missing, they very rarely do badges, and even then it was all arranged for them and done as a pack. At the risk of sounding much older than my years, even in my day us Brownies were expected to do badges on our own; I have a hand decorated plastic lunchbox which contains several pieces of badge adorned cardboard as proof of my collectors badge, and I famously dropped a mug whilst practising making tea and coffee for my hostess badge. Yes times have changed, but if anything the capacity for girls to independantly doing badges has increased, not diminished. As such my mind is racing with ways to encourage the brownies to take iniative, as well as planning so many more activities than the repetitive group games they've played the last term.

In addition to my new found energy in guiding, this morning I discovered that pretty soon, the London 2012 Olympic Games will be appealing for 70,000 volunteers to help run the games, in all manner of activities. No, you don't get free access to watch the events, no, they won't pay for your travel and accommodation costs, and yes, you will probably have to work non-stop for your 10 days of service. All you take away with you is the memories, a story to tell the grandchildren and they graciously allow you to keep your uniform as a souvenir. So, as you can expect as soon as they open application, I'll be signing on the dotted line. How often do the you get the chance to go watch the Olympic events in person, let alone how often do you get take part in the Games? Even then how often is the Olympics in your own back garden, making it all possible? I personally cannot wait until the moment I tell my children and then their children what their mummy did before heading off to university, and I can show off my uniform with all the over-exaggerated pride my elderly mind can muster.

xxxx

P.S if anyone else is interested in applying to volunteer in the Olympics check out the volunteering website

A week of Austen, Christie and Conan Doyle.

Last week, I paid a visit to the local library, which I hadn't been to for a good half a decade. In the end I chose from, what was in my opinion, a very inadequate collection of Agatha Chiristie novels, An Appointment with Death- one of the few titles my mum does not own; The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Pride and Prejudice.

The last two I picked up on a mere whim, but a whim I am now extremely glad I acted on. Sherlock Holmes is as equally marvellous to my beloved Poirot, and my opinion of him improved only further with the new BBC drama Sherlock, which was so bloody brilliant, I'd recommend it to my cat, if only she understood, and the fact that the actor who plays him is extremely handsome is a point that as a teenage girl I obviously care very little for.

Pride and Prejudice is miles away from my usual choice of crime novels, and I was hesitant as I had before tried to read Wuthering Heights but had confused myself by the first page, and I worried the same might apply to this book. However I found myself quickly submerged, and took just over two days to complete. As you can tell, I have a social life which is rich and fruitful, and keeps me nothing but busy.

While this first post is anything but spectacular, it is a first post, and for the sake of all our sanity, I shall endeavor to improve.

xxxx