guineapigmum

Snail mail

guineapigmum — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:54:06 +0000

My email inbox has been pinging with excitement over the last day or so. And why? The pings trumpeted (can pings trumpet, I wonder?) the arrival of several work-related messages which were sent on the 7th April. So that makes, ummm, approximately 3 months in the ether. They could have been sent by sea in that time. Or by horse and cart. At least one was inviting me to tender for a piece of work I had expressed interest in. A bit late now, methinks.

Is 3 months a record for email delivery? Discuss.

Tutors - help!

guineapigmum — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:33:26 +0000

School’s out. It’s the last day of term. Yay!

But there’s a small problem, and I know I’m probably too late to post this. Everyone’s suddenly on holiday but we need to find a tutor for English Higher for next term. Can anyone in the East Lothian/Edinburgh area point me in the direction of anyone? So far I’ve only drawn a blank.

Breaking the habit of a year or two, here’s my email in case anyone has any bright ideas:-

christine at amisfield1 dot fsnet dot co dot uk

When they’re babies…

guineapigmum — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:11:36 +0000

When they’re babies

Yours are perfect and everyone else’s are horrible.
Childminding is a huge expense, and why isn’t it tax deductible?
They’re smaller than you. You can pick them up. Just as well, really; you need some sort of head start.
They generate so much washing. Sick-covered washing. Lots of tiny baby grows.
Nappies. Yuk. Need I say more?
There are no secrets. You bath them, you cuddle them, you wipe their bums.
You have at least some idea

(more…)

A step back in time

guineapigmum — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 01:00:34 +0000

A week or so ago I was on the Menai Straits in Wales inspecting the underside of boulders. As you do. More of that another time, I hope. I came home to find, amongst the usual glut of emails, one telling us that Ken Farrow, a fellow diver and long time friend, had died suddenly, probably whilst I was wandering the Zostera beds of Foryd Bay. He had surfaced from a dive with his wife Alison, off the wild and spectacular Noup Head on Orkney, climbed onto the rocks nearby and simply gone to sleep. It may be the way to go, but what a gap he has left behind.

We have known Ken and Alison for over twenty years, our friendship dating from when GPD and I moved to the marine station at Millport on the Clyde. Ken and I were fellow National Instructors, and all the Scottish NIs would converge on the Clyde (more…)

Protective? Or overprotective?

guineapigmum — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:11:18 +0000

“You’re an overprotective mum. ”

“No I’m not, I’m just interested. Do you know all the people on your contact lists?”

“Of course I do. Do you think I’m stupid?”

“Well, anyone can see those pictures you’ve put on.”

“No they can’t. It’s private. And I haven’t put my surname, or my age, or where I live. Go away.”

So I did. I went and googled GP1’s name, then GP2, and I couldn’t find either of them. I was mildly reassured but note - mildly. I have done this before but in a fairly desultory sort of way. Tonight, though, I was just back from the school (more…)

Happenings

guineapigmum — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:33:41 +0000

If you look carefully on the State Theta website, you’ll see a picture of Guineapigmum indulging in an arcane Pilates ritual. I’ve been doing Pilates with a local teacher over the winter; just what I’ve needed to get my much abused body back under control. Anyhow, Audicia is planning to hold a series of classes - various activities - in her brand new, very beautiful Ormiston studio over the summer, so do take a look at her brand new, equally beautiful website. The classes aren’t yet on the website by the looks of it, but they are on posters displayed at various locations locally.

And the guitarist Gordon Giltrap is playing in New Winton village hall at the start of June. I think there are tickets still available if you’re interested.

Her Majesty and I

guineapigmum — Tue, 27 May 2008 23:24:28 +0000

A thick, luxurious, cream coloured envelope stamped Buckingham Palace arrived in the post today. It’s an invite for GPD and myself to the Royal Garden Party at Holyrood Palace at the beginning of July. Why me? I’ve no idea. I shall make enquiries. I suspect, though, that Her Majesty must surely have encountered this blog in her wanderings around the web, and wishes to make the acquaintance of the talent that undoubtedly lurks behind the posts. I’ll have to ask Mother Soup what she thinks - it was her turn last year. A more mundane explanation might be that she’s working her way along our street. What do you reckon?

Meanwhile, I feel a shopping trip coming on. Oh the choices; my wig or my fresh new crew cut? (On second thoughts, maybe it’s a crew grow rather than a crew cut. ) A hat? A hat and my wig?

Photo credit: goforchris

4916 chocolate brownies

guineapigmum — Tue, 27 May 2008 22:55:59 +0000

Photo credit: Pille Nami-Nami

This post is an unashamed copy of Pig in the Kitchen. Hope you don’t mind, Pig; sincere form of flattery, as they say. But you might be able to adapt the recipe to your own needs.

And no, I haven’t eaten that many chocolate brownies this week. 4916 was my finishing position in the Great Edinburgh Run a couple of weeks back. Over 1000 people finished behind me, so it’s not as bad as it sounds, or so I like to think. 6 minutes and c. 900 places slower than last year but I’m not complaining; (more…)

The personal touch

guineapigmum — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:05:08 +0000

So there we are. External exams are over for another year. Next year will be the big one - GP1/Highers (I’m trembling and pale at the prospect) with GP2/Standard Grades (an entirely different proposition). This year, though, was a relative breeze.

First up there was SVS. Once I’d got my head round the fact that (more…)

Up and down and roundabout

guineapigmum — Sun, 04 May 2008 13:30:53 +0000

The run. Around Edinburgh. I did it, about 1hr 8 mins or something. Thassorl.