Friday 22 March 2019

Communicating without words






Thank you for all of your photo-editing suggestions. I am feeling my way around Photoscape at the moment, although it's rather trial and error and the photos are bigger than normal.

It's been a nicely productive week here, after the mad driving up and down to the forest last week. The peach tree is blooming, I have been drying washing on the line and the tomato seeds are up. Spring, no?

I have given up coffee, which you may recall I started drinking back last summer. I feel heaps better without it. I was about to make myself a cup the other day, but I read up about it a bit first and realised that I get lots of the negative things it can cause. I really do feel quite unwell when I drink it. I've been drinking a mug or two of green tea every day instead and I have my appetite back and all is good. Coffee does have rather a siren call though, doesn't it.

I have been happily cooking nice things for everyone, after a rather lacklustre period of thinking I just don't want to eat anything. Does anyone else have that thing where a child sidles up while they're cooking, peers over their shoulder and says, after a dramatic pause, Is it supposed to look like that? Probably just me. The littlest boy is being vegetarian for Lent which is nice. He has give up the few meaty things that he likes, which has been just enough sacrifice to make it meaningful.

The internet has taken to showing me adverts for Chanel jewels. I love its optimism. Internet purchases that I am actually considering are a bargain pack of cotton cleaning cloths, two yak's milk dog chews, a secondhand copy of Scrivener for Dummies and a pair of the stretchy tight-like things that hold shin pads in place when you're playing football. Not a jewel in sight.

There is a new dog parlour in town. You can actually see the dog being groomed on the table inside. There was a very silky show cocker in there today. He looked right at me very intensely and I could actually hear his thoughts: Help. Help! GET ME OUT OF HERE. I am wondering if it is the right thing to be showing the general public the fear and loathing element of dog grooming.

Is it my imagination, or are acronyms out of control? I am increasingly having to Google things like DIP, PoDs and JTM and then getting all confused when there are twenty possible options. I have a client who likes to use jargon as well, so half the time I have to actually translate his emails before I can understand them.

I have a relaxing-ish weekend planned. Bird survey, dog walk, football and cricket practice/reading time. I have new ball of wool that I am contemplating. It has been looking at me from the shelf for a few days now, trying to communicate what it wants to be. I think it's saying The same scarf that you always make but I can't be sure.

Any good plans yourselves?

18 comments:

  1. So your photos look beautiful!
    I hope you do indeed have a cozy weekend, my friend.
    Quiet around here too.
    Still quite a bit like winter, so it will be a cozy inside one, which I actually quite enjoy. : )

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  2. That first photo made me happy.. they all did. Fun to see your Springtime buds and flowers and the dog and boy having fun in the forest. I think the full view groomer might be good for those owners who wonder what goes on behind closed doors. Enjoy your fairer weather. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  3. We have a dog groomer that comes to the house. The first one we used was hopeless, she traumatised the dog and made a really poor job of the grooming.

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  4. Your peach tree blossom is a delight. Interesting about the effects of coffee, glad you’ve now got your appetite back. I’m in the enviable position of cooking what I please now I don’t have children to feed most evenings. Lots more fish is back on the menu. Well done to your son for giving up meat. I’m afraid I struggle with a total ban but I know I should reduce the amount of meat I eat. Have a lovely weekend free of acronyms hopefully TTFN 🤓. B x

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  5. The pictures are fine, and it's good to see Bertie in full flight. I'd always drunk coffee and tea but gave up the former a couple of years ago. Most acronyms pass me by completely.
    I having a routine weekend, including doing some plotting. Enjoy yours. xx

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  6. Look at those ears! Marvellous. T and P are just back from seeing Mrs D and are now all lovely again. However, we are soon off for a walk.... Glad giving up coffee has helped. Maybe the ball of wool is saying: wrist warmers for next winter. Check out https://www.turtle-doves.co.uk/ Recycled cashmere too. More useful than jewels and so soft.... xx

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  7. Well, consider yourself lucky - Chanel jewellery! The internet has been showing me retirement home and funeral plan adverts. I am a bit miffed. I am glad that you found your appetite, it must be disconcerting not to feel like eating. I hope the call of coffee is not too tempting. I am so lucky, coffee just gives me pleasure, particularly that first cup in the morning. We are having a quiet weekend, too. Enjoy yours xx

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  8. Lovely peach flowers. You have reminded me that one year I spotted a peach tree on the other side of the fence in the Evil Twin garden. I wonder if it is still there. We have put a higher fence up. I'm glad you have regained your appetite. I sometimes go off coffee but it is only one cup a day and so far it has done nothing to dent my prodigious appetite.

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  9. I love the photo of Bertie with ears poised for take off! I don't drink coffee either - I developed palpitations a few years back, and giving up caffeine made them stop. I like the odd decaff flat white if I'm out somewhere, otherwise I'm a Rooibos girl. Glad that you got your appetite back, I hate having to cook if I'm off my food. Maybe the yarn wants to be a woolly hat for cold dog walks? xx

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  10. I have no idea what all those letters mean, frankly I fear my age is showing more everyday. Did you know you can rent a car like and Air BnB? People just let you take their car for a few days and make money, it was a bit mind blowing for me. I get advertisements for a lot of engagement rings, really what are they thinking? I have been married 27 years and while I am lucky doubt I would ever do it again. I don't even know anyone getting married right now, but if I do I sure know where to send them for that very special expensive ring.

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  11. Love your pictures especially doggie. Don't listen to that ball of wool,mine lie to me all the time saying " of course you can knit that complicated cable cardigan,you will finish it in no time at all" and I believe them and that is why I have a huge basket full of WINP----Works Not In Progress! Beware.

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  12. Pics are lovely and they load fast enough. Yeah, I know all about the acronym thing. I usually skim right over them. A while ago a huge billboard went up on the side of a road I often travel. It advertised a new shopping mall in the neighbourhood and said 'Less FOMO, more LOL'. Now, the LOL thing I learned a while ago because all my friends were using it, but FOMO? I kept wondering what the opposite of LOL would be. Foaming around the mouth? I finally gave up resorted to Google. Can't marketers think of anything creative in plain old English anymore?

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  13. FOMO haha. I always have to look up stuff too. And then I forget, so the next time I have to look the same thing up again.

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  14. Beautiful pictures of spring in its glory! Finally warming up a little more here but we're a ways behind you. We have a friend who is a veterinary technician come here to the house to groom our dogs. Only one needs to have a haircut, but they all need their nails trimmed and they all hate it! She's quick and business-like while I give in to the whining and squirming. I had to give up coffee a few years ago for medical reasons, but I have come to love my decaf now. I use a Keurig to brew one cup at a time. Doesn't seem to affect my appetite at all! Glad your appetite is back.

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  15. Definitely a touch of Spring in the air - long may it last!

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  16. Hope you had a restful weekend, it is lovely to see your plum blossom and reminder that spring is here! Bertie reminds me of Gromit in that picture! That's brave having a dog grooming parlour with a window, maybe it helps to distract the dogs!
    Sarah x

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  17. Lovely photos, especially Bertie mid-sprint. If you dislike acronyms, avoid working in education. I never know what anyone is actually talking about.

    Funny - I can drink all the coffee I like during the morning, but a cup late afternoon sends me into a right spin.

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  18. Lovely photos as always. I haven’t a clue about acronyms and would have to look up the ones you have posted... if I could be bothered, which I can’t!. I would be pleased about the Chanel jewels. Like Christina I only seem to get adverts for funeral plans and retirement homes!

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