Un-sung, until now

When I was little, in a field near my home was a horse called Tommy. He was a bit wild and one day as my sister, myself and some friends were running across his field he started to chase us. I was the youngest and the slowest and had the littlest legs, I tried to keep up but I tripped and fell over. Suddenly from out of nowhere came a young lad who whisked me up literally from under the horses hooves. He saved me from injury and possibly worse. He later became a close friend to my brother and has been my hero ever since.

Today I learned that he has died very suddenly from cancer. It is very sad, I will never forget him. RIP Bob, my hero!x

Is praise a necessity?

Today I returned to my voluntary job after a weeks holiday, before I went away I re-designed a training brochure on body language for Age Concern. Upon my return I was greeted by an empty office but on my desk was a thank you card. It said and I quote "Thank you so much for your lovely work on our training piece. It is brilliant. Hope you had a good holiday and see you soon."

I was astounded. Never in all of my years in paid employment have I received such as missive. I was embarrassed, touched and puzzled.

Why is it that praise and support and encouragement is not in such supply in paid employment. OK I am not that naive, I realise the need for competition and the fear that too much praise might breed complaisance. But for me, who has been struggling to get paid employment for so long, it gave me hope, it helped my self esteem, it made me feel humble, supported and appreciated for probably the first time in an employment situation.

I can't help feeling it is a shame.

I'd always believed I had a reasonably happy childhood ...

until seeing this ...

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to ...

On Saturday I had a birthday gathering of five of my closest friends, these friends are all intellectuals and as such bicker endlessly. The evening began well with a glass of fizzy and some olives at my flat. Then a table booked in my favourite restaurant for dinner. All went well except that three of us were drinking and three of us weren't. It began to get a little raucous and my friend and I burst into song much to the mortification of one of my sober friends who made it clear that we were extremely embarrassing. I was a little miffed by this as it was my birthday and I was having fun and thought him a bit of a party pooper, but my other friend took umbrage at his grumpiness and made it clear that she was not having any of it and made things very awkward until she finally had to have it out with him outside in the street. There was an uncomfortable atmosphere and she was also not happy with her partner for not standing up for her. I sat in the middle of this thinking for goodness sake get over it and lets just have a nice time. I love all of my friends individually but as a group there are some very tricky personalities to negotiate.

This is just one of many similar occasions over the years and every time I think why do I organise these things.

But I suppose it makes for a colourful evening.

Most amazing thing of all was that the worst one of them all wasn't even there - you know who you are (-;

A Wonderful story - Chagall

Yesterday I visited 'All Saints Church' in Tudely in Kent. The Goldsmid family Commissioned Chagall to create a window in memory of their daughter who died tragically aged 21, The mother was a Christian but the father was a Jew, Chagall also a Jew came to the church and found the windows were plain glass and decided to do every window, it took him 15 years in all until just before his death in 1985 aged 98, it is absolutely magical, the colours are fabulous, well worth a visit (((-:

Full Moon tonight from my balcony...