Playing Catch Up and What's-On-My-Bookshelf Wednesday

Still being a bit rubbish about this blogging business!

I think there might be a new complex called 'Blogging Guilt' which I have fallen prey to...

I have things I want to post (as the reason I started this blog was to have some something to look back at, a diary of sorts, but without the angst and self-searching) but as I don't seem to have enough time at the moment to post, read other blogs, comment AND reply to comments, I end up doing nothing.

Oh - there's the angst after all!

So, I apologise for my absences elsewhere and now I will get on a quick round up of recent days!

Missing from my record of events was a certain little somebody's second birthday!  Zosia and Dylan, Mr U-t-B's two grandchildren, share a birthday, Dylan having been born a year to the day after his cousin.  Sadly, I missed out on both birthday parties as I was at fairs, but handed over my camera in the hope of some decent photos.

This was about it on that front...

...my point-and-snap camera either being on the wrong setting or in the wrong hands for much other than blurry backs-of-heads and grimaces.

I had a fun outing a couple of weeks back to my old primary school, which is celebrating its centenary.  I managed to drag Miss U-t-B along with me (though the poor girl did regret it later!)  I was able to show her two of my childhood homes...

...my Infant School classroom (the one in which I remember telling my best friend Caroline that I was a real princess, stamped pictures in books to write a sentence about and falling asleep head resting on the table one day)

...the ledge in the playground on which I cut my forehead when a witch (aka Sally, the tall South African girl) pushed me (now a fairy, rather than a princess) in a playtime game, resulting in a trail of blood practically from there to the Doctors' Surgery where I gained 3 stitches and a scar which I thought everyone notices (but nobody does)...

...and the sunken quadrangle beyond the Infant hall, which I believed for some considerable time to be a swimming pool that we just needed to allow the rain to fill before the fun began...

I was delighted to be able to chat with four of my primary school teachers - Mrs Evans (with whom I shared this class photo, reminiscing about names and hearing what some had gone on to);

Me second row, second from left - Top Infant class

Mrs Arch, my inspirational 3rd year junior teacher, who kept a veritable zoo in her classroom and always came up with ways of enlivening our learning,  like sending us off for afternoons at the village hospital,  allowing us to make a lunch for some of the teachers or spending a morning in the school canteen, helping with school dinners; Mrs Twyman, one of my 4th year teachers, whose enthusiasm for Art and Craft I think I caught; and Mr Pitson, my other 4th year teacher, who I was pleased to find out had not been mentally scarred by me carelessly and dramatically allowing my arm to get broken in a PE lesson. (Actually, he didn't remember this at all!  My horribly bent arm - what's known as a fork fracture - I thought would have been unforgettable!)  He was also able to put me straight on the slightly disturbing record I have of our trip to Tregoyd in Wales...

(Please do not snigger at my 'hill...4ft high!)

The pub was mentioned on many occasions in the diary of the week, and also cider drinking!  (Though interestingly, the covering of glasses with cling film is more notable than the fact that the drink was 'cider' in my recount).  Turns out the landlord always told the children that the apple crush he served them was cider, knowing this would cause a bit of 'fun' for the teachers when they got the children back to Oxfordshire, and the children all nonchalantly (or otherwise) told their parents!

The other major event I need to include is Miss U-t-B's 'Prom'.  This took place on Monday (yes, strange choice, but there you go).  In the run up she wasn't very keen on the idea of going, but we convinced her she'd possibly regret it if she didn't go.  I was happy that by the day itself she was a wee bit excited and had great fun getting ready with a school friend, with the assistance of a friend from dancing for hair and make-up.  

So, here come the photos!

(You didn't expect to escape without, did you?)

Big AHHHHHH!

Finally, my bookshelf.  I have been continuing with my 'Read more books in 2013' campaign, though I have slowed up recently.  I've wittered on quite long enough for today, but here is the pile of fairly recently finisheds, along with the one I am currently reading (The Universe Versus Alex Woods).  I'll say more in another post  very soon and do my next book giveaway.