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Archive for June, 2008

It was Asha’s Birthday yesterday and we made some chilli sauce. Most people liked it, so here is the recipe.

Handful of the green end of spring onions chopped
1 scotch bonnet (with seeds) chopped
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
Tablespoon(ish) of Paprika (sweet, not hot or smoked)
Juice of half a lime
Some olive oil
400g chopped tomatoes (approx)

Gently sautee spring onions in olive oil for a minute or two. Add garlic and chilli and sautee for another minuite or so. Add tomatoes, lime juice and paprika. Stir regularly and cook on a low heat until reduced slightly. Blitz with a hand blitzer thingy or similar.

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Cheshire Show.

I went to my first cheshire show today. I missed it the year I was born, and mummy and daddy were busy the following two years.
It was in tabley which is near knutsford, so we had to leave the house at 8am. So rarely these days, daddy had to wake me up!

After what seemed like minutes in the car, I fell asleep. We arrived there. Mummy then got me dressed, and we had a sandwich.
Mummy had parked in the disabled area, and we slowly trundled over the the kiosk. Where we bought our tickets. We then met granny
by the cheshire hounds. The dogs were noisy. Granny then paid for me to have a go on the bouncy slide, but a boy tripped me up and I fell
down the steps. Shaken we went for a walk around. After some time, we found some fun things to look at, sheep, goats and apache. They were cute
I also saw big horses, cows and baby calfs. Mummy took me into the poultry tent, and we looked at the flat bills of the ducks, the small hooks
of the pigeons, and there wonderfull chests which puffed out. Mummy also told me when she was little she held a baby chick at the cheshire show.
I was watching them with my mummy. We looked at an array of egg yolks, the range in colour yellow was fascinating.

I spent some time playing on the fair ground, I went on the carosel, and train. I also climed into an Airport fire engine, it was a lot bigger than
the one which toppled over in portmadog recently. After making mummy a bouquet with granny, we had pork butties whilst listening to the school band.

I am sure i have missed a lot out of this.

Asha

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asha

tom

big asha

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Dear Mrs

Re: your request for a home visit regarding your claim for I.B

A medical advisor has reviewd all circumstances regarding your claim and has decided that a home visit is not justified.

You will be expected to attend any current appointment that you have or to ring the above number to arrange a suitabel date.

Your sincerely

…. No name given……

As a side line :

http://justice2008.co.uk/UK.aspx accessed 10th June 08

Transparency in Government
Eileen Marshall and Margaret Williams
17 October 2004

Tom Kindlon has drawn attention to the report on the career of Dr (now Professor) Manse! Ay!ward (Co-cure NOT: 16 October 2004: 14.32: New UNUM Provident Centre for Psychosocial and Disability Research at Cardiff University funded by a £1.6m grant from the UNUM Provident insurance company).

The article in question reports an interview with Aylward by Mario Basini published in The Western Mail on July 12, 2004, called “Tending a family crisis”, to which full acknowledgement for the quotations used is here given.

Until recently Dr Aylward was Chief Adviser, Medical Director and Chief Scientist to the UK Department for Work and Pensions, previously the Department of Social Security (DSS). Readers of Volume I of “Denigration by Design: A Review, with references, of the role of Dr Simon Wessely in the perception of Mya!gic Encephalomyelitis 1987-1999” will recall the association between Aylward and Wessely about ME/CFS as typified in the letter dated 10 January 1992 to Dr Ay!ward from Dr Wessely.

In that letter, Wessely wrote: “It is certainly true that I and my colleagues consider that anxiety about the consequences of activity is one factor perpetuating disability in CFS. I have previously been involved in advising the DSS that CFS should not be grounds for permanent disability”. It wilt be remembered that “psychological” disorders are barred from receiving certain categories and levels of State benefits by the Government Department of which Dr Aylward was in charge.

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So apart from learning not to touch mummys sun burn… well its a learning outcome   and mummy trying to find out a simple explanation on sunburn – given up for now… What have we done today?

Asha watched Just so stories this morning.. We then did a few audio books, with her “reading along” to herself. she enjoys pinoccio this way. I phoned mum, as I am sure some of the books to go with some of the tapes are down there still.

After I had done a trip to tescos for some after sun, Asha did some glueing. I had bought her a cheap funky felts set, which was meant to be used to make a neckless, but the needle wont go through the felt easily, and Asha was getting upset, so I suggested we got some glue out and she made a picture. She has done this, and now wants to send it to granny..

Asha is now outside again, playing with the neighbours children, and I need to get that chicken in the oven!

Asha is definatly on the way to reading on her own though. Its wonderfull to see.

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There was big crabs, and little crabs, fat crabs and thin crabs.. all on the beach today.

It was fantastic fun. I think Asha and I learnt more about crabs today than I have done in the last 28 years of my life

I think the main crab we saw was the “green shore crab” If anyone has a recipie for these crabs, so we can have another free meal.. Please let me know :d

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Had our first free makeral of the year.

thanks to a kind lady at trefor beach yesterday.

We did try catching some, but it never happend. There is only so much activity you can do at once on a beach with a toddler!

I love living in wales.

In case your wondering how we cooked them.. In the george Fornby, is an easy option

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Steve picked me some heads, and we have made some, and its YUMMY!

We used an Hugh Ferneley recipie, and it really works.

21 heads of elderflowers

two lemons (zest and juice) (so far)

one orange (just the zest)

1.5 liters of water

sugar.. not sure how much in tottal, as not made it all up yet.

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I’m a big white van,

And I can go anywhere.

I’m a big white van,

And I go ZOOM

I’m a big white van

And I can go anywhere

I’m a big white van

And I’ve been to the moon.

My van is finally gone from my hands, and into a new world. Its done me proud, over 150,000 in three years. Only let me down a couple of times, and kept us all safe and sound.

Goodbye white van.

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Granny and Grandad came up for the day, and we met them at Parc Glyniffion. They were holding a steam and vintage car rally.

We saw a selection of old cars, steam engines and tractors. We also played in the gardens for a while. I sat and listened to some bands, and we played in the gardens. I saw the large red wood tree.

I also had my first go at Archery. Daddy, Grandad and Mummy also had a go. Mummy found it to painfull though.

Mummy and Grandad showed me an old boat house, and daddy and I played doggy on the grass next to the stream.

In the afternoon, after the rally, Granny and grandad took me to the beach at Trefor, where we had an enjoyable three hours, making sand pies and generally playing. Grandad took mummys van home, and uncle Andrew is going to sell it for Mummy.

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When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

Als die Nazis die Kommunisten holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Kommunist.

Als sie die Sozialdemokraten einsperrten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Sozialdemokrat.

Als sie die Gewerkschafter holten,
habe ich nicht protestiert;
ich war ja kein Gewerkschafter.

Als sie die Juden holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Jude.

Als sie mich holten,
gab es keinen mehr, der protestieren konnte.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4211857.stm

A police force has launched an internal investigation into officers accepting free teas and coffees while on duty.

Cheshire Police says that the inquiries are centring on a motorway service station which is believed to give out free drinks to officers.

Accepting “hospitality” goes against force policy, a spokesman said.

The investigation has been criticised by an officer who runs the Victims of Crime Trust, saying the accepting cups of tea is “good community policing”.

Where as in wales, its encouraged.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/7433461.stm

Police officers are being offered “tea stops” at 12 Co-operative stores across Conwy and Denbighshire.

The idea is that the North Wales Police will be offered a hot drink whilst mingling with shoppers and staff.

Rose Humphreys manager of the Co-op in Rhos on Sea, said it got police officers out of their cars and in contact with the public.

Dont you just love the law… and isnt it really an ASS!

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We had our normal thursday today. Asha and I made some cinnamin (sp?) buscuits, and she measured the flour, and margarine out. then enjoyed mixing them together, and naturally eating the mixture :d

We also made some bright pink iceing to put on the buscuits.. oh well the joys.

Asha also spent some time watching her just so stories videos. she really does love them. I watched an angelina ballerina video with her as a treat, but she didnt really enjoy it. We then talked about ghosts, castles and behaviour. It was interesting.

After Asha had enjoyed the videos, we read a noddy book, It was one of the old ones, and she did seem to enjoy it. I havent read a long story to Asha for a few weeks, so it was good to do that again.

Tonight we had a look at nutbrown hare (guess how much I love you) and mogs mumps. Asha seemed to really enjoy them both. It seems weird to be reading Mogs mumps to Asha, as it was one of my books from when I was little.

We have had a lovely day today. Asha has spent some time one on one with Me and Steve, played with the neighbours kids and adults tonight. done reading and colouring in, and cooking.. A restfull but productive day for us all I feel… Oh well, good night!

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And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, “Speak to us of Children.”

And he said:

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;

For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
By:  Kahlil Gibran

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On the way home tonight, we called into the local chip shop .

When we were pulling out, Asha asked where hers was. The reply oh the shop had run out of food, other than “nasty kebab meat, and you wont want that.”

Asha’s response… “Couldnt they go to the Cash and Carry!”

There you go.

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She was supposed to get these for her birthday. But after her trying to skate using bigger skates we decided that it would be better for her to get used to safer ones before she got traumatised with the big ones.

She spent ages on them today with us holding her hand. She is growing confident on them already and wanted to play football in them.

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Asha was outside playing tonight on her new roller boots, and I did a quick count of how many children she was playing with… 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 plus her and two adults.

I guess she dosnt have a problem with socialising does she.

Back to dream about sleep now.

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Here is the promised and ever so late image of little Asha bouncing happily on her trampoline.

She loves it. She can bounce on to her bum and back on to her feet.

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Asha and I both seem to be struggling to get to sleep and stay asleep at the moment.

You would think after going camping and how exhausted I feel, that I could close my eyes and sleep.. But no. It just wont happen. Everything is keeping me awake. Last night Asha helped in that dept as well!

Anyway back to home education.. Today has been a shopping day, but Asha has a new toy as well. When we were sorting out the van yesterday, she found some old roller boots, she has been using them, nearly 8 sizes too big, concerend, Steve and i decided she could have her birthday present early, and we will get her something else – if anyone has any good ideas, please let me know..

Asha loves them. She has been up and down the road today, I dont know how many times. I think after tomorrow, she may even let go of Steves arm for longer than three minutes! Between that and her trampoline she is feeling rather spoilt right now.. Oh she is spoilt isnt she :d

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At the camp practically everyone of us were attacked by Midges. Patchouli was the most used and seemed pretty effective at keeping them from biting. I just did a search for essential oils as insect repellent and indeed Patchouli is considered effective against Gnats (are they the same as Midges?)

Further reading of the website informs me that peppermint water is effective at killing houseflies. Flies have been bugging me for ages. We have fly spray, but I am reluctant to start spraying it around. You can regularly see me running about the house with a tea towel or similar trying to knock the buggers out of the air. This is often accompanied by swearing.

Anyway, the website: http://www.raindroptraining.com

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