FEELING VICTIMISED

I can only assume this is part of some dog-dementia-induced paranoia but Pal has developed a real mistrust of me with his food over the last few months as he's got older and more infirm. Tonight really took the biscuit, though.

I came with a big piece of leftover beef for him, put it in his dish and sat down. Moments later he had it in his mouth and was frantically combing the whole of Mum's living room looking for a place to hide it, and crying each time a spot he investigated turned out to be unsuitable! 

Advent is getting on my nerves, slightly.

Well, at least there's a sort of momentum. I feel like blogging and have no inspiration, just like last time. We just switched to Virgin Media from Sky and with that came a free six months of Netflix, which is rather exciting. I started to watch Some Like It Hot on TV, and could watch the rest in bed on my phone when I decided I was no longer comfortable on the couch. Modern technology, eh?  

The Christmas period is an odd one. I have a new diary but can't really use it for another week and a bit. I intend to start a new novena as well, but the one I have chosen, again, can't begin until the new year. I have finished pretty much all of my pressing work and the big festival itself is mainly taken care of. Yet I am restless. There is usually something I have overlooked and it's bugging me as to what it might be this time.

Maybe another movie on the box will refresh my memory....

Step One, With Any Luck

It has, yet again, been a long time since I blogged. I never seem to have the inspiration or the time. I probably do have the time but lacking the inspiration is bad enough. I watched Julie & Julia, however, and this gave me at least a strong desire so I had to come up with something. I am very tired, though, so let's hope this meagre offering will be the first step toward inspiration.

Day Four at the Weird Weekend 2013

And so to the final day. As we bid farewell to Woolfardisworthy, but only for a year at the most, what have we learnt? Sarah and Maya taught us about orbs and how to catch them on camera ourselves. Ronan told tales of leprechauns and Irish kings. We had James Newton on Bigfoot and Lars on the cryptozoology of Greenland as well as that of Jon's garden, a talk he co-hosted with Nick Wadham. 

At the end of Ronan's speech Jon was presented with a signed Weird Weekend poster as a thank you for all the hard work he had done, and then the man himself delivered his customary keynote speech. Many were moved as he spoke of the passing of Mick Farren, and excited when Jon announced that there would indeed be a Weird Weekend 2014 if he had anything to do with it. Unlike the Pope, Jonathan Downes will not be abdicating his throne just yet, dudes....

Day three at Weird Weekend 2013

First was another sumptuous breakfast courtesy of Becky at Higher West Town, this time including bacon done EXACTLY the way I like it, which is a rare thing in this world, believe me. Blogging came soon after and then it was time to head down to the community centre for the talks. 

First up was An Introduction to Cryptozoology by the dons of the subject, Jonathan Downes and Richard Freeman. Anybody who didn't know when they got there what cryptozoology was left very much the wiser. Barry Tadcaster and Ken the orang pendek then introduced the next speaker: Nick Wadham on the true nature of fairies, and reading from his book on the subject soon to be published by the CFZ. Today was when Paul at last joined the proceedings and filmed these two first talks on the iPhone, afterwards exclaiming how he had enjoyed himself. 

Unfortunately we did miss the first part of the next talk through getting carried away chatting in the bar with Ronan and Steve Jones so we decided to take a trip into Bideford, returning in time for the CFZ Awards where many excited volunteers hoped desperately to reach the pinnacle of achievement that is the golden baboon. This year's lucky recipients were Yvonne Robertson, Jessica and Jo Heard, Jessica Taylor, Timmy Cornish, Matthew Knight, Dr Dan Holdsworth and Mark Raines. 

Other highlights included Shaun Histed-Todd's Civilisation X speech and Darren Naish on his blog and book Tetrapod Zoology. Unfortunately I didn't make it to the expedition talks or Judge Smith's but I will be purchasing a copy of the latter's book, and waiting semi-patiently for the YouTube videos. 

Day Two At Weird Weekend 2013

We got off to an amazing start with a vegetarian fry-up for breakfast. Starting with amazing food is always a good plan. Becky at Higher West Town B&B is a great cook. I also had some of the best coffee of my life. The coffee in Devon must be stronger than up north because it just took two small cups and I was as wired as a rock star on acid. 

While Paul rested up I decided to use my artificial energy wisely and set off to the village and Jon's house to see if I could be of assistance. Everything, however, was in hand, so instead I got to catch up with old friends again and make a couple of new ones. I also met Prudence for the first time and she is as adorable in the fur as she is in her pictures. 

We discovered Atlantis in Bideford in the afternoon, of all places next door but one to Asda. This, of course, is not the Atlantis but a children's nautical theme park, which if I'm honest, I wish I wasn't passed the age restriction to enjoy. Adults can sample the lovely food, though, which was consolation enough. 

Next was Hartland Quay. Words cannot describe the beauty, hence the pictures. 

We're still in shock with the road widths in this part of the world and how it can be justifiable to set the speed limit on such dangerous stretches at 30 and 40! But we are still in one piece.

And lastly, we come to the talks themselves. I made it to all of them and all of them were very interesting. My favourites have to be Ronan Coghlan on the church and evolution (what he said made perfect sense to me and was refreshingly unbiased) and Lars Thomas on the natural history of trolls. 

The volunteers in the canteen are to be applauded. I didn't sample much of the food last night but the crumble was heavenly. 

So for reasons that must be obvious, I'm really rather looking forward to day three. And I'm about to have my third coffee just because I'm daring....

Day One At Weird Weekend 2013

My last Weird Weekend was also my first and I've wanted to come to another ever since but fate always seemed to be against me. 2010 I broke my leg, 2011 I couldn't afford a 10p mix let alone a trip to the other end of the country and in 2012 all our spare money went on getting married. 

As you can imagine, then, it was with rather a lot of anticipation that hubby and I set out at stupid o'clock from Heywood to miss the traffic. The first hundred miles were interesting. I'm someone who loves to look at new scenery even if it's shopping centres at the side of the motorway that I'll probably never go to. The last 188 miles took their toll. The sat-nav was in my lap the whole way but the route was so unbelievably straightforward there was no real need for it. Plus, at the part when we did need it, to find the B and B in Woolsery's narrow streets, the silly thing packed up anyway so we had to rely on signs. 

When I say the route was straightforward I really mean that. Every junction we came to the direction was 'straight on.' Every roundabout. Every seeming turn. Straight on. It made me think of Peter Kay when he tells the story in his gig at the O2 arena of how as a teetotaller he always ends up driving all his drunken pals and family home after nights out and the last one is always so paralytic that she doesn't remember where she lives.  Peter: "where'd you live Sandra, love?" Sandra: (slurred) "Straight on" 

Peter: "We're in Birmingham now Sandra, love."

Sandra:  "STRAIGHT ON!!"

Eventually frustrated I texted my friend Kelly that I was on the most boring route in the UK. 

We arrived in Woolfardisworthy around dinnertime, knackered. Unfortunately there was a bit of a wait to be able to go lie down because we arrived much earlier than the lady who owns the B&B expected so she had to dash up and prepare. Our room is beautiful. It's a double in lovely bright colours and the window seat looks out onto the gorgeous green countryside. Once ensconced we nodded off and didn't wake up till the evening. We quickly readied ourselves for the cocktail party ahead, I remembering heady days in 2009 of far too much champagne and drunken early hours conversations with a palaeontologist who thought I looked like a chick off the terminator series: one of the best nights of my life. 

Today was somewhat different. We failed miserably to find somewhere to park for quite some time and then, hungry at last, grabbed some food at the chippy before heading to Myrtle Cottage. We had some good conversations and I was pleased to see old friends but the goodness knows how many hours of 'straight on' during our second-only motorway trip in our new little car, and the long sitting-down stints having played havoc with my dodgy leg meant we had to make our apologies inside an hour and go back to the B&B and bed. 

Still, it's now day two and we've both had quite a good amount of kip so I for one am looking forward to what the day might bring. 

Cheating??

I have to wonder if admitting this on the blog in question is the best course of action but I am feeling rather fluent having just composed an essay for the first time in a month, so there you go. Despite having written the first post of this blog almost four years ago, I am ashamed to say I have only just noticed that each post has the number of times it has been viewed beside it in the dashboard. Some posts, incredibly, have been viewed hundreds of times (posts by little old me!), while others, until today, have only been seen the once. Whether that was by myself after writing or a friend who likes to read each of my posts, remains to be seen. What doesn't need to be wondered about is that in order to up the figures, I have also discovered that I can do this simply by opening a new window and looking at the published but neglected posts in question myself. Cheating? Maybe. But it is my birthday tomorrow so I'm very much allowed.

That old chestnut

I left my phone in Morrison's the other day. I had already left it upstairs in another part of the call centre that day. Thankfully the people behind me at the till in Morrison's were honest, and the desk on which I had left it at work belonged to a friend. Unfortunately I seem to be having rather a dyspraxic week. I even inadvertently got my breaks and meetings at work the wrong way around.

As ridiculous as this might sound to the neurologically-average human being, this is because (horror of horrors) I had to move desks recently. My call-taking machine packed up and until it is fixed I have been moved to a desk and computer where everything is positioned in mirror-image to mine. This would be a little hard to get used to at first for most but for the neuro-diverse person it's an absolute hell. I'm managing to do my job in the same way as I usually do but the upheaval of what I'm used to seeing every day being the wrong way around now means that doing my job is about all I can manage as normal. Everything else has gone to the dogs. Housework? What's that? I normally take a what to work? I haven't a clue what goes into a packed lunch! Are you crazy? I normally carry a mobile phone in my bag? Do I? Is that so I don't lose it? Ah, that would explain why now carrying it in my hand, I tend not to come home with it. Well, I do, but only because of honest and helpful people.

For the dyspraxic person (or at least this dyspraxic person because the condition can affect different people in different ways) one small change in routine throws pretty much everything else out. I come out of work late and have to work out which bus to take home as if I've never got a bus before in all my life, let alone a choice of two. I move desks and I panic, and my friend who (thank God) happens to be free for twenty minutes has to sit by me and tell me how to do tasks I normally find totally mundane until I get used to my new seat.

Sometimes I wish I could swap my brain for someone else's; others, I'm grateful. There's a flip-side to everything. This week I'm rubbish at everything I usually do each day with relative ease, but for the first time in a couple of years I've completed three new pieces of writing in just twenty-four hours. Summer is going to be interesting.

Nesting in non-natal women

There is plenty on the web about the nesting instinct in pregnancy, but a noticeable lack on non-natal nesting (I just made that phrase up, I think). 

The nesting instinct is when a woman becomes more concerned with her domestic surroundings than usual: catching up on the housework she may have previously not considered a priority, usually in one large go - sort of like a spring clean. She may also collect and store away baby clothes in more extreme circumstances. While there is plenty on the Internet about how this can be an indicator that labour is due to start and how many women experience nesting from the third trimester, I found just one forum where a lady asked if she was the only one who was not pregnant but still experienced nesting around the time of ovulation each month. 

It is a common issue for women. Gabrielle Lichterman talks about it in her brilliant 28 Days, which is a guide to everything a woman does/ can go through physically, emotionally and mentally during the monthly cycle. I cannot recommend the book enough and Gabrielle also has a website. 

As I mentioned before, nesting in non-pregnant women is usually experienced around the time of ovulation. This is because during this time of the month the body releases more progesterone than at other times, on the off-chance that the egg you've produced is going to be fertilised; it prepares the lining of the womb for implantation, amongst other things. This means you might notice the outstanding DIY jobs in your home more than usual, nagging the hubby/ boyfriend to put those shelves up, mow the lawn or plaster the ceiling. A woman particularly susceptible to progesterone effects will also become broody around this time; even if she has no inclination towards nappy-changing and sleepless nights, the aww-factor will loom large in her day and she will be cooing over puppies and kittens, if not human babies. 

Another typically famous pregnancy symptom the progesterone-sensitive ovulating lady will get is the brain drain. Pregnant women are noted for being forgetful and this happens also during ovulation for many women. You might be the most organised, together queen of your own life the rest of the month but once that egg is released, you leave your brolly on the bus, you forget where you put the shopping list you made so you wouldn't forget what you needed to shop for, and your PIN number at the bank? Gone. Clumsiness can increase too so good luck surviving this week of your cycle without concussion or a cast. 

You could be forgiven, due to the lack of information out there, for thinking you were strange and experiencing symptoms reserved only for the expectant. But all of this is perfectly normal and healthy (unless you do hurt yourself falling over your own feet).