Sunday 21 June 2015

It's a magic number

 
   

 
 


According to De La Soul, that number would be three.

I have been blogging for three years.

Although I haven't been able to blog at all for nearly three weeks. It's all been rather frustrating, and terribly dull. My computer is an old girl, and she's feeling her age (a bit like me). She has become rather cantankerous, and is no longer playing ball. I've been able to follow you via my phone. But not comment. Because I am crap. At any kind of technology. At all. At the moment I am using Marc's computer. It's horrid. I can't find anything, and none of my shortcuts that were set up for me, so that I wouldn't have to worry about working things out for myself are not available. And I'm perfectly aware that maybe now would be the ideal opportunity to learn how to do it, But frankly I cannot be arsed. I have a million and one other mundane tasks and worries and other things that I have not yet mastered:

I cannot wire a plug.

I cannot assemble flat packed furniture

I cannot do quadratic equations

I cannot fix my greenhouse door

I cannot erect a beach tent

While I realise that none of the above are necessarily failings, they do represent how utterly useless I am at most things practical and/or mathematical. I do try. You should see the unit we have recently bought for the tv. I built it all by myself, and very pleased with it I was too. It bows. Actually it sags as badly as my poor cats' tummy. My handiwork has become the laughing stock of my street. Marc keeps walking past it and shaking his head. When asked for reassurance, my neighbour took just that little bit too long to answer that it looked okay to her.

What is to become of me?

In other news:

I have now been sugar free for three weeks. It's not so bad now, but I was hateful for the first week. All I could think about was pic n mix. I ate a lot of fruit, 'cause it's the refined sugar that I want to leave behind. I'm not a zealout like the 'I Quit Sugar' woman (who scares me, frankly), and I think we all need some sweetness in our lives. I have since discovered healthy sweet treats that I can make at home, and they make me feel satisfied. They must be helping, because today is Father's Day in the UK, and Marc has had a lot of chocolate. Him and the boys have enjoyed it for breakfast and as a mid-morning snack, while I haven't even been tempted. Honestly. Not one jot. Not even dabbing my moistened finger on the foil packaging in order to pick up the crumbs, and kidding myself that it doesn't count. Smug. That's me.

My garden is making me inordinately happy indeed. Lots of different types of pollinators visiting all through the day. Even a couple of hummingbird moths, which I adore. We have three seagull chicks on the roof, with two rather over-protective parents. They tolerate us, but only just. I have a bounty of plums growing on the tree. It's the first time my tree has been so productive. I'm hoping for plum jam later this year. Ollys' love affair with the snail finished this week. He has been growing strawberries, and as they have ripened they have been attacked and eaten. Egg shells, coffee granules and a few pellets have not helped. The snails have lost their biggest ally. I hope that they're prepared.

Sam has now finished his A Levels. It all passed surprisingly smoothly. In fact he's been more grouchy since than during. By contrast, Alfie seems to be intent on not doing any studying at all, which has led to detentions, blazing rows and all sorts of stressful hideousness. I have thrown my towel into the ring. Any suggestion as to how you encourage a bright, but unmotivated teenage boy to knuckle down and accept that homework just is, please do tell. I would genuinely be grateful.

Oooh what else? A new rug for the living room, lots and lots of reading, watching Luther for the umpteenth time, planning camping trips, forgetting my Mum's birthday (oh the shame of it), resuming working as a counsellor, enjoying blossoming and healthy friendships, looking forward to Wimbledon and lots of other stuff. Good, bad, indifferent. You know the score.


I have so missed the interaction here. I am so glad to be back.

Have a lovely Sunday,

Leanne xx












24 comments:

  1. It's good to have you back, Leanne. When my eldest was tiny I saw some "expert" on the tellybox say that once children get to secondary school, parents shouldn't get involved with homework - there are enough battles to be fought at home without taking on the school stuff as well. Let the teachers deal with it. I ignored this rule once when the child was in Year 7 and her English teacher asked me to ensure she finished a particular piece of work. Never again. After that, I let the teachers do their own work. This might be helpful for you but feel free to ignore me, I shan't be offended. Love your blog. x

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    1. You know, I've been thinking the exact same thing. There are more than enough battles here about other teen related things!
      Leanne xx

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  2. Well I'm so pleased you posted as I've been wondering where you were and missing you and hoping you were OK :o)

    If you find the Magic Answer re engaging teenage lads with schoolwork pass it on here will you? I decided (after much nudging to do revision for recent exams which was met with flat refusal) to let L discover for himself what happens with exam results when you don't revise, but maddeningly his retort that he does better when he doesn't revise appears to be bearing fruit as he got top marks in his maths exam. I don't know whether to be pleased or cross. Try not to worry- I get the impression lots of lads are allergic to homework and am sure theyl find their own way, given that they know what they should really be doing but would prefer to stick pins in their eyes than outwardly agree with their parents :o) XX

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  3. It takes more than a dodgy computer to put a good girl down. That's worth more than flat pack prowess any day. Welcome back.

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  4. I remembered how to do quadratics when the orange and yellow sweetie puzzle appeared a couple of weeks ago! I remember my maths A level as bad, my Further Maths as undescribably terrible!

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  5. You and I are on the same page when it comes to math and computers! And how wonderful that your garden is booming and making you happy!! That bloom up there is stunning!!! Sounds full and busy where you are buddy!! Here are to the joys that keep us trucking and smiling! Nicole xo

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  6. I can only do one thing on your list, and that's solve quadratic equations. I would be much better equipped for life if I could successfully assemble flat pack furniture or wire a plug. As for the computer, my suggestion is to buy a Mac. I was just like you about all things computer until five years ago when I made the switch. I've never looked back.

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  7. Hi Leanne. I am shamefully admitting that I quite enjoyed solving quadratic equations back in time.... My Sam discovered the consequences of swapping maths homework for Minecraft binges. Failed a test, miserably so. He hated it, and he hated the teacher telling us, too. I now frequently spot him doing homework but I never interfere. I just don't have the energy. I hope he won't need a reminder that no matter how clever he is, if he can't be arsed paying attention in class, or do his homework,he'll probably fail and I won't be picking up the pieces. Good to see you back my friend. Computers are a pain. I hate mine. I am just getting a brand new Apple one for work and I am quite exited about it. Good for you to be back to your career as a councellor. I could do with a few booster sessions, it has been a while since I was discharged from my CBT sessions and it shows. Christina xx

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    1. Well I for one salute your knowledge of the quadratics. I just was never that clever. Marc is the mathematician in our family, so I get him to help the boys with their algebra ;))
      L xx

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  8. Ha ha i,ve been laughing Lianne ,because i am the same with all things electronic ,i can not be bothered to sit there and try and make sense of it all ,i would rather be doing something else,Re Alfie,i,d try not to worry i have 3 girls and funnily enough my middle one was the same ,i tried all sorts and in the end i left her alone and she did as well as her older sister who studied really hard,there all different and i,d try not to worry,sorry i cant help more !I,d like to know how you get on with the no sugar and iff you,ve lost weight ? i love your blog and this is one thing you do well ,so dont beat yourself up about the things you cant do ,your doing a great job xx

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    1. Thank you Michelle. Lovely words of encouragement. It's so nice to hear that other people went through it, and came out the other side unscathed! I have lost about five pounds in weight so far. I am hoping to lose some more by ditching the sugar. But a lot of it is to do with my hideous hoovering of the pic n mix stand in Tescos!
      Leanne xx

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  9. Well done on three years of blogging and also on all the pollinator plants in your garden. I have failed miserably here. Not a plum to be seen either. I am a master at flatpack furniture (no-one else is capable of practical stuff around here, so it's me or no-one). Next time give me a ring and I'll pop round and assemble it all for you. In return you can let me know the secret of homework motivation once you discover it. Sorry your computer is on the blink. It makes me exceedingly cross when technology doesn't play ball. Well done on the sugar thing. I'm giving it up tomorrow, just had to eat one last piece of gooseberry shortbread. I feel heaps better when I avoid sugar though. Lovely to see a post from you Leanne, I hope you have a good week. CJ xx

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    1. Yes but look at the lovely produce from your allotment. The bloody snails have decimated a lot of mine. It's so frustrating.
      L x

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  10. Wow - 3 sugar free weeks; I'm very impressed. I've just started the 5:2 diet and am struggling a bit at the moment! Poor Olly to be disillusioned about his beloved snails. Glad Sam's exams are now over - E was grumpy too for a few days after hers finished; I think it takes them a while to relax. Have a good week. xx

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    1. I have a friend who raves about the 5:2. She's lost nearly three stone! Olly has moved on to beetles. I feel a bit sorry for them; he remind me of Lenny in Of Mice and Men a bit ;))
      L xx

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  11. Congratulations on your blogging anniversary, here's to many more. I think the problem with bright teenage boys is that they think they can coast through their exams without putting in any work, that's the beauty of mocks, they end up bringing them down to earth with a thud when they realise that they have to actually put some effort in. With any luck they have just enough time to pull up their socks before the proper exams begin. Believe me, been there, done that, got the t shirt.

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  12. A friend and I once formed a rather exclusive club, membership just two. The Non-Achievers Club. Our pal Meg was allowed to become an honorary member as she was too-highly-qualified. Anyway, we decided on this because we: could not swim, could not ride a bicycle; could not knit; could not sew; could not ride a horse ... but there again, she could build a wall (her husband, before retirement) was a builder and no doubt she'd watched on numerous occasions and learned this by osmosis. But I'm hopeless at maths or any kind, can't even do crossword puzzles, never even learned to play Hopscotch (numbers again), can't play Darts (ditto); could never skip without getting totally tangled in the skipping rope; couldn't do gym, especially what they called 'gate vault' as anything higher than off the ground I found terrifying ... so no, you are not crap. Technology get the better of me, too. You are a lovely person with a lovely family!
    Margaret P

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  13. I can build a billy bookcase with my eyes shut and was very smug about my flat pack prowess until I took one look at the shoe rack we recently bought and silently passed it John's way. I know when I'm beaten. Well done on the blogging anniversary. I've missed your posts so thank goodness for IG so I can stalk you there my friend. Wise words above re the homework - let school fight with Alfie about that. And how exciting to hear you've returned to counselling, I hope you're enjoying the work. xx

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  14. I can wire a plug (it's what GCSE physics was for!) but that skil isn't needed now with moulded plugs! Unless of course you now over the lawnmower wire and need one of those gadgets to join the wire back again - of course this has never happened to me twice!!!! ;-) Congratulations on blogging for 3years and on the job! I love Luther - there's some new ones coming too - do you think Idris Elba would be a good Bond? I saw he's being mooted alongside Damian Lewis. Xx

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  15. Ooh, congrats on the three years, and how lovely to find a post from you, I was wondering where you'd got to.

    I can do lots of things, many of them badly, and I can't do even more other things. Isn't that how it's supposed to be? Flat pack furniture and plugs ... nah, teenage sons can be taught by their fathers to do those. A thought, might that work as deterrent for the homework skipper? 'Knuckle down to those quadratic equasions my boy or you'll be putting together my new Malm chest of drawers!' I'm sure similar threats worked on my lot.

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  16. Three years - congratulations! And that photo of bare feet in warm sand made me feel very envious indeed.
    I'm useless at maths full stop. My adventures in flat pack have had mixed results; some things turned out, others not so much. I buggered up a butcher's block and even though it's usable the shelf collapses when you put anything heavier than a pair of slippers on it.
    I'm also unable to put air in my car tyre, let alone change one. Unfortunate as I've had a slow puncture for around two years and still haven't replaced it.
    The sugar-free woman scares me too. I don't feel the need to be quite so radical about it but yes, I've lost my cravings and it feels good. Guzzling inordinate amounts of fruit doesn't feel in any way bad, but I do wonder what'll happen next time I - gasp - eat a bit of cake. Acne? Migraine? Temporary madness?
    Hope you're enjoying your return to work. It's good to have you back in Blogland :)
    S x

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  17. happy blog birthday. x I've been doing quadratic equations with the youngest teenager. it is not fun...... in the end I got the eldest teenager to help.............

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  18. Oh to be on a beach with sand between my toes, oh to actually have weather warm enough to do that :) nice to see you back, hope you are well. Kids and home work.... been there, got the T shirt, badge, hat, etc. In the end I found it's better to pick the battles that are worth fighting. You can only tell them so many times, in the end its up to them. Have a good weekend x

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  19. I used to do all sorts of practical stuff but since I got married twenty years ago I have fallen into sadly predictable ways. My husband is so very much better at diy stuff than I am it seems a bit of a waste of time to do things and have him come along and do it again! I comfort myself with the thought that I have other skills. Not quite sure what they are.

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