Does anyone today even know what a Bolshevik is?

It has always been one of my favourite little sayings (and one that I may have erroneously thought was ascribed to Winston Churchill) -If you’re not a socialist when you’re young you’ve got no heart, and if you’re still a socialist when you’re older you’ve got no brain. Last night I was told by a guest during casual dinner conversation that when the guest had met me they considered me extremely left-wing and was surprised what a full-on capitalist I had now become. Naturally I responded with a diplomatic and sober version of “get stuffed, comrade” and carried on with an enjoyable dinner of Indian food and high-sugar dessert. It has got me to thinking (as I have on some other occasions) about the ways that people’s views of society and the world, and even people, change over time. Am I who I was last decade, or last year, or even last week? I think the answer is no. I personally believe that few people are actually self-analytical enough to know this about themselves.

I wonder who I will be tomorrow?

Cheerio!

What’s that sound?

Ah…….it’s silence.

Children A and S have been spending the school holiday week with M-I-L A and F-I-L K, a nice trip for them and kind of convenient for us because we are still working and didn’t want to send them off to vacation care if we could at all avoid it. Not that they have ever been to vacation care, so for all I know they might love it, but childhood trips to the grandparents do create special memories. I know they did for me.

This has left us with the problem, however, of it being so darn quiet here in the mornings and evenings. “Will you hurry up and……oh, you’re not here”. Kind of takes the wind out of the sails really.

Tuesday night Beloved K and I went and saw Vantage Point at cinema. It was really nice just to spend time out in each other’s company, and the movie itself was passable as well. Last night we met after work at Borders Books, our wonderful discovery (well, we discover slowly) of a massive bookshop that has titles we haven’t seen for years, plus a full scale Gloria Jeans coffee shop right there in the middle of the bookshop! Yep, browse and drink coffee….hard to beat.

I’m enjoying a really busy but successful period at work. Beloved K is still bored senseless by very slow work days. One wonders whether they would have received more applications for the job if the advertisement read “wanted, someone to sit around reading novels all day, and occaisionally treat patients – must have nursing registration and own library”.

Cheerio!

Back at home

Got in late on Monday night and I reckon it has taken me three days to actually feel normal and energetic again. I didn’t even misbehave in the land of Nicki…..just enjoyed Nicki’s company greatly. I’m missing her now that I’m back home.

On the home front, Beloved K is a bit low at the moment, suffering some side effects after her flu shot earlier in the week. Like a trooper she is soldiering on, even though the work environment is a bit tense at the moment. You have to wonder about a medical practice that trims back the medical supplies order to save money. K is playing the diplomat at the moment, but I’ve very proud of her efforts to resist pressure to work extra days. it’s not easy to say “no” to a new employer, but she has done it with style and grace. Good on her.

Today is Bike Day at the school of Children S and A. I was so proud. Child S is not confident at all on a bike, and has spent the last couple of months refusing to ride it until we put the training wheels back on. We haven’t done so (he is six and a half, after all!). This morning, with his sister’s patient help, he rode all the way to school, all of 800 metres. He might have done it 50 metres at a time, but he got there and was really pleased about it judging by the look on his face.

Cheerio!