September | 2010 | Not Just a Granny

Archive for September, 2010

nite, nite….don’t let the bed-bugs bite

Posted in family and relationships, Fun Stuff, Historical, It's my life, tagged bed bugs, history, mattresses, night night sleep tight on September 21, 2010| 6 Comments »

I was wondering what to blog about today…since I have not yet finished the one about my London walk-about on Saturday (not sure why I have to say so much…)

So anyways, a friend of mine recently set herself a challenge to write a post everyday….it did not have to deal with world-affairs or have to say anything of major importance….but just to write about what she felt about a particular issue, a reflection or about something that was happening in her life….and she has been very successful….her posts are great.

So last night I was lying in bed and thinking about how I always say ‘ohhhh, I am so going to blog about that….and then I get busy with other stuff and time goes by….see my previous post, and then I forget what it was I wanted to say….that’s called age!!! Senior moments and all that……. (no blasphemy please), keep it clean. 🙂

So today I decided that without fail I was going to blog about something, even if I just say “goodmorning world…it’s a gorgeous day”…which it is 🙂 and then without any effort on my part, the subject matter presented itself…so without further ado…..

I work as a Carer for the elderly (that’s my day job…not my dream job), and this morning after I had assisted my lady out of bed and settled her into her chair with a cup of tea…..I said to her “I am going to leave your bed to air for a bit”…..she replied that her mother always got mad at her when she was a lass, when she made her bed immediately and did not leave it to ‘air’. So I asked her if she remembered why that was….and she said she had no idea. And as she spoke, I suddenly had a memory jump out of the recesses of my mind (there is still a bit there)…..when we were kids (a long, long time ago….sorry dear sister but it’s true!)…we slept on horrible coir (or horse-hair) mattresses…. (thank g*d for progress) we are now past that….

So anyhow ….the memory I had was of these really horrible, horrible hard lumpy, prickly and sometimes smelly mattresses. I especially remember them from when we used to sleep over at my grandmother’s house, me, my sister, my brother and my two cousins….all bundled together in one room, top and tail with 3 beds between us (that was fun) and when we woke in the mornings we were told by my grandmother to leave the beds open to air. I recall asking her why we had to do that and she told me that it was coz of the ‘bed-bugs’….they did not like the light or the fresh air and leaving the mattresses exposed chased them away….or so she said. Looking back now…I sincerely doubt they did, but anyway, that was the theory.

So then I remembered how when we were wee kiddies, my mother used to tuck us up into bed, and before putting the lights out she used to say “night, night sleep tight, don’t let the bed-bugs bite”……and we used to reply…”and if they bite, bite them back” ewwww! hahaha! And I remembered that when my daughter was a wee lass growing up…. I used to say the same thing to her…..even though we had by then progressed to foam…halleluyah. (mind you I sometimes still do say it, only now it’s via text).

So there you have it….’Night, night, don’t let the bed-bugs bite’ came about coz we slept on beds that really did have bed-bugs!!! I wonder what today’s fanatical, cleanliness, anti-bacterial, germ-free brigade would have to say about that!!!!

p.s. I will leave it to your imagine to as to what my lady had to say about me telling her they probably had bed-bugs in their mattresses! LOL LOL LOL…… oh! and just in case you were wondering…. this is what a bed-bug looks like:

imagine sharing your bed with that!!! 🙂

I tried to find the most unbelievably yucky picture I could 🙂

p.s.s. this is my post for today………

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I am still here :)

Posted in It's my life on September 20, 2010| 2 Comments »

It’s a funny thing about time…. it just slips away. Here we are, well into September and heading back into winter. Seems like just yesterday I was getting excited about spring and summer. Posting photos of our glorious spring flowers, photos of which there are many. And now, the days are shorter, are getting dark at 8pm and turning chilly. And as they do I am reminded of how much has happened since last year this time…..

Travels to places around the country, snow in Brighton, and then New Year’s day when I made a resolution to get a job in London….and here I am…London since February. I also reached an age this year that leaves me with no doubt that I am now definitely ‘over the hill’ 🙂 Has that stopped me….no way!!! It’s all go go go!!!

I have seen so much of London the past few months, especially since starting my blog on 3 Days In London and that has opened my eyes to the wonders of this city. If you want to learn about something….blog about it. I have also along the way learned more about Social Media than I ever thought possible.

This year has also seen the 30th anniversary of being a Mom…..ergo my daughter reached the fine age of 30!! And what a lovely day we had…rowing along the Thames in Twickenham, lunch at the White Swan and cupcakes from Sweetie Pies….at which place I have spent many a happy hour munching my way through the most delicious cupcakes ever. 🙂

I have enjoyed happy hours with friends, met some new friends and made contact with some not seen for years….sadly I have also lost a few along the way; just because as they say in the world of Personal Development….some are here for longer than others.

So where am I going with this? Nowhere actually….just musing about the passage of time and how much quicker it seems to go the older I get. My mother always said the same thing…… Perhaps it’s just that we have a different perspective of time and realise it is not endless as we assume when we are children, but is finite for us albeit infinite for eternity.

and thats it really….. I am sure I will think of something more to add once I have posted this……

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for just a season….

Posted in family and relationships, Inspiration, tagged for Dianne on September 16, 2010| 4 Comments »

Yesterday, some members of my family lost a loved one, someone who left too soon…a lovely lady by all accounts. I wrote briefly about Dianne yesterday relative to words from an email I had received before……and late last night I received this email from a friend, someone who did not even know the circumstances of the day….. this is what it said:
People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that
person..

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need
you have expressed.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with
guidance and support,

To aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.

They may seem like a God send and they are.

They are there for the reason you need them to be..

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,

this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an
end.

Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.

Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on…
Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has
come to share, grow or learn.

They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.

They may teach you something you have never done.

They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.

Believe it, it is real.. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons,

things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional
foundation.

Your job is to accept the lesson,

love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other
relationships and areas of your life.

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for Dianne

Posted in family and relationships, Inspiration on September 15, 2010| Leave a Comment »

“There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things ‘in order,’ she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

‘There’s one more thing,’ she said excitedly. ‘What’s that?’ came the Pastor’s reply.

‘This is very important,’ the young woman continued. ‘I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.’
The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

That surprises you, doesn’t it?’ the young woman asked. ‘Well, to be honest, I’m puzzled by the request,’ said the Pastor.

The young woman explained. ‘My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, ‘Keep your fork.’ It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming…like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!’

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder ‘What’s with the fork?’ Then I want you to tell them: ‘Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come.’

The Pastor’s eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did.. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman’s casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, ‘What’s with the fork?’ And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share ….. being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility……

And keep your fork.”

Although the words above are not mine, they were sent to me by a friend…..I can’t help but think of Dianne who passed away today…also a young woman, still in the prime of her life who wasted away from the effects of a terminal illness. Now I don’t and did’nt know Dianne very well….she was the sister-in-law of my sister and I have not seen Dianne in over 30 years, so I have no idea what her thoughts and feelings were about religion and whether she would have wanted what the young woman above wanted. But, what does reasonate with me is what is said about friendship.

About the analogy of the fork….how the best is yet to come. What a lovely perspective this lass had. It relates directly to Dianne. Despite her illness and impending death, from what my sister told me, she remained positive, had a calm air and held no anger… She gave more than asked….she started a pay-it-forward system (reminding me of the movie ‘Pay It Forward’), giving us the opportunity to contribute, she gathered friends and family around her, re-uniting some with others, she imparted an air of love and gratitude, maintaining to the very end her dignity and grace.

And although there were many unresolved issues in her life, along with great tragedy, she did not lash out or ask ‘why me?’. She simply enjoyed the time she had and made the most of what she had. So this is for Dianne who despite the fact that her table would soon be empty…..kept the fork of friendship in her hand. I have no idea if she thought she would be going on to a better place, or how she felt about the afterlife or even if she thought there was one, but here on this earth, from what my sister told me… she made the most of the friendships she had…… and I am sure she has left behind some lovely memories in the minds of the people who shared her last days…. so as you continue with your life think on these words………….

Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share ….. being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility……

Rest in peace Dianne…..you gave those who knew you in your last days some very special memories.

And to Jonathan and Sue who gave so much to help Dianne live her last days surrounded with love……Friends like you are a very rare jewel, indeed!

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