(Sung to the tune of "John Brown's Body")

Written by Essex West Guiders

I went along to Guides just to help them out one day,

I must have done a decent job as I was asked to stay,

I really didn't have the time to do the job just right,

But the Guiders all assured me that it only took one night.

Chorus:

This is why I am a Guider,

This is why I am a Guider,

This is why I am a Guider,

'Cuz the others all assured me that it only took one night.

The District meeting came along and I was asked to go,

It's sad to say the treasurer was ill and didn't show,

So I was asked to do the job and I replied I might,

'Cuz the others all assured me that it only took one night.

One day the new Commissioner saw me putting up a tent,

She said with great relief, "My Dear, you must be heaven sent!

I need a Camp Advisor and I know your time is tight,

But I really do assure that it will only take one night"

I've been so long in uniform, my blood is navy blue,

My friends and neighbours think I'm mad and maybe so do you,

But I'm so proud and happy I'd complain with all my might,

If my many jobs in Guiding really only took one night!!!

Oh, so true.

Incidentally, if you emailed me about the World Badge from a yahoo.com.au address, I'm happy to help (and yes, some people have read this bit before, but I made that entry private), but I'd like to know what it is that you want.  The email was a tad enigmatic.  Plus, you didn't give me a name or any indication of how you found this site, or, even, when you need the information or where the entry is that made you ask the question.

xxx

Mum came down to visit - and, whatever's going on, either she's totally oblivious, or things in my parents' marriage have got somewhat better.  Either way, she was happy yesterday and today, and that's a good thing.  She was miserable over Christmas.  Everyone was.  The running commentary over the past day or so to the tune of "We couldn't do this if your Father were here," was mildly perturbing: on the other hand, Dad doesn't think that tea in Liberty's is one of the most fantastic things in the world.  He's a bit more beer-inclined.  Apparently, his latest idea is that they get two cottages next door to each other.  Almost, but not quite, knock the two together (basically have an interconnecting door) and then, when one of them shuffles off the mortal coil, seal them into two separate houses again, and sell one off.  So, with luck, he's forgotten the pronouncement that he made over Christmas, I've been panicking over nothing, and I can start sleeping again.  This is Regent's Park boating lake about a week and a half ago.  Very pretty.  I have the best  commute.

I fell asleep instantly, with her safely on the sofabed (she'd managed to fall off it once, which took skills that I do not possess). This was nice. It was odd to be wide awake and not wanting to sleep in when the alarm went off at 9.30 this morning, though.  Nice odd.  On the other hand, I didn't consume my usual three pints of coffee (I got a headache instead).  This may have helped get to sleep as well as the emotional calm.  Pictured my latest 'hurry up spring' wristwarmer, knitted to match the one that's at the top of the picture, and also to replace a very similar one which got lost about a year ago.  I also produced a bootee that night, but I haven't sewn it up yet.  I think that was Tuesday.  But, it could have been Monday.  I forget.

In the meantime, I'm still perturbed that I'm not quite capable of sustaining interest in any meal that's put before me (or, more likely, which I put in front of myself.  Mind you, apart from a few stock meals, my cooking ability is not fantastic).  Oh well.  It was about time that I stopped eating like the greediest pig alive.  Which reminds me, I need to get some calcium supplement into me (there is a theory that the Morris Dancing shin splints, which have now retreated into one sore spot could be me tearing a layer of bone with a muscle that's not 100% happy, so bone strengthening is a good plan, since the absolute rest which would be required in order to stop that happening is so not going to happen ever.  I live in a second floor flat.  I need to be able to walk!).  This set of lettering used to read 'Jane made this it is wrong', but someone nice changed it round.  The wrongness referred to the reindeer magnet near the top of the pic.  It looks less wrong, as I shifted one of the googly eyes to a more usual position.  It still has a squint, and looks drunk.

This afternoon, approximately 100 roller-bladers whizzed past my window.    Possibly more.  In the process of trying to take a photo, I hit my head on the sash so hard that an ice pack was necessitated.  I can't see if I've done any damage beyond bruising, this being the top of my head, but I'm sure I've lost some brain cells en route.  By the time the camera had warmed up, most of the roller bladers had gone,  it was far more impressive when they were filling the road below the window.  This is the way life goes.  You can't quite see the Christmas lights in the window box on the left of the picture, but they're still there.  As is the tinsel over the mirror on the floor below, the fairy lights in the hall, and the baubles that line another window box.  Our downstairs neighbours haven't heard of the notion of twelfth night.  Outside, lots of people are now setting off fireworks.  I hope.  If it's bombs, it's really going to cramp my style this evening.  I'm off to the cinema for the second night running.  How terribly extravagant (if anyone can remember the word that's similar to 'proliferate' that means something similar to 'extravagant', or can confirm that I've simply made it up, do let me know.  It may be prolificate, which isn't what I mean at all.  I can't see how going to the cinema lots could be described as being 'to be fertilised').

I wanted to get palimpsest into this post, but, even having bought a new photograph album (to be more accurate, Mum bought it for me), and having vague ideas about combing pictures, tickets, and commentary, I don't think that palimpsest quite covers what I want to do.  However, I have managed to stick the word into the post.  Even if I did cheat to get it here.  It is freezing in this flat.  Mum turned off the heating in the sitting room, and opened the window, because her sinuses were getting blocked.  The temperature subsequently plummeted, and the flat requires much more warming than normal.  I my fan heater.

xxx

Last night, in our flat, it was insomnia central.  I went to bed at just gone 10 o'clock, Jo to hers at 11ish (I was about to say "Jo followed", but that would give entirely the wrong impression.  We are not an item).  Just gone midnight, I went to the loo.  Before 1 am, Jo followed suit.  I tossed and turned fitfully for hours, and daydreamed myself into a doze.  At 5 am, I woke up again.  A little later, and I heard Jo pottering round the kitchen.  She left the light on, and it shone into my bedroom (there is, remember, no door on the kitchen, and it faces my bedroom).  Bit more fitful doze, until the alarm clock went off.

I feel like death warmed up this morning, and my lower back aches like it hasn't done for a long time.  Ibuprofen, thou art my saviour here, being as I have no-one to give me a back rub and no hot water bottle (I just tried massaging my own back, and it was painful.  It's not that I can't reach, or twist - I can easily reach round into the secretary stretch, without thinking, which is unusual. It's merely that everything seems to be so tender).

Despite this total lack of sleep, I am determined to be unstressed in the office today.  Everyone was stressed yesterday.  None of us enjoyed the situation as a result.  Too much stropping went on, and I don't like myself when I strop. Bleagh.  I merely wish to be perfect; it isn't too much to ask, is it?  No.  Not at all.  I know it's possible.

I finish, for everyone's delight and delectation, with a picture of not one, not two, but three men knitting at the Rowanettes in Liberty last night.  From left to right we have Andrew, Jason and someone whose name I didn't catch {Edit: He's called Dan}, but I'm sure one of the other ladies will tell me {Edit: And so did she.}.  Jason learnt to knit last night; there will be a jumper by the end of the year, I am sure, once he's learnt how to purl and cast on and off (but, given the speed with which he picked up the knit stitch, which was frankly impressive, it won't take long).  My first new knitter of 2006.

It occurs to me that various Rowanettes may try to comment on this, and get in a horrible tangle: Xanga only lets you comment if you've got a Xanga account: so email me instead (there's a link on the left), and I'll put it in for you.  Saves faff.

Oh, and why Jacek's head seems to be growing out of Jason's is beyond me.  Jacek is our very long suffering waiter, who is quite wonderful when it comes to serving very, very, very ultra-weak totally wussy let-the-tea-meet-the-water-but-not-form-a-relationship Earl Grey tea.  At the same time as normal strength Earl Grey tea.  Without milk.

xxx