The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

John's birthday present was to have a backrow seat, complete with a bottle of bubbles for the first evening session of The Chronicles of Narnia at the Lido.

For those who haven't been to the Lido in Epsom, you should give it a go. Very civilized with wine and little cakes, or coffee if you prefer. Seat size is generous, as is leg room.

So, a quick review of the movie.

I enjoyed it very much. It was lovingly filmed and the children were all excellent, with most of the focus on Lucy, Edmund and Peter. The character of Susan didn't shine out quite as strongly as the other three.
Tilda Swinton as the White Witch did a very nice job of being icy cold, and Liam Neeson as Aslan's voice was a terrific choice of strength and softness. The general CGI wasn't quite as good as that done for LOTR, with the obvious exception of Aslan. He was beautifully rendered.
As John remarked afterwards, it was a nice film and worth going to see. BUT, he wouldn't buy it on DVD. I would agree with his comment.

If you want a movie to spend a quiet Sunday afternoon at, this would be a good choice.
Rating: 3 out of 5

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

John's birthday present was to have a backrow seat, complete with a bottle of bubbles for the first evening session of The Chronicles of Narnia at the Lido.

For those who haven't been to the Lido in Epsom, you should give it a go. Very civilized with wine and little cakes, or coffee if you prefer. Seat size is generous, as is leg room.

So, a quick review of the movie.

I enjoyed it very much. It was lovingly filmed and the children were all excellent, with most of the focus on Lucy, Edmund and Peter. The character of Susan didn't shine out quite as strongly as the other three.
Tilda Swinton as the White Witch did a very nice job of being icy cold, and Liam Neeson as Aslan's voice was a terrific choice of strength and softness. The general CGI wasn't quite as good as that done for LOTR, with the obvious exception of Aslan. He was beautifully rendered.
As John remarked afterwards, it was a nice film and worth going to see. BUT, he wouldn't buy it on DVD. I would agree with his comment.

If you want a movie to spend a quiet Sunday afternoon at, this would be a good choice.
Rating: 3 out of 5

Resuming normal transmission

Or at least, that's the intent.
We seem to have lived in total mayhem for the past six months. It's been an intense time of focus and constant hard work. Now, hopefully, we can resume normal transmission for a few months.
If you're wondering what all the hard work has been - take a quick look at the new Interislander ferry - Kaitaki. From now on if you travel across the Cook Strait on her you will be under our care. She has 4 evacuation systems each of which is 25m long and has a number of 50 & 100 person liferafts. To complete each system takes two weeks, with long hours installing it back on the vessel.
However, don't blame me for rotten sailing conditions or any delays to the sailing schedule we only work on her while she's bunkering on Sunday nights.

This past weekend also saw the end of the dreaded Boat Shows.
I've decided that it is nice to talk with people, especially when you find out how little they know about their equipment, but I have to say that I will be happy to have my weekends back.

I am also taking tentative steps into the world of technology by installing Skype on the work computer. It's bizarre to talk over the 'net and feel like you are standing less than a foot away from the person you are speaking to. I think that will take a bit of getting used to.
If anyone is already techie enough to be Skype-ing, you should find me listed. If you don't, just drop me an email and I'll send through the details.

I have also begun the search for a personal trainer to turn this aging body into something that might pass as mildly fit. I've given up on the gym as an answer. Since I sit on my backside all day for work and I haven't managed to find an inspiring-enough sport to get me into action in the evenings, I thought I might give the one-on-one thing a try. All-in-all I figure I'll be a challenge for any PT. If anyone has a good recommendation let me know.

Take care, talk to you soon.
~~~~~
"The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it."
- Harry Emerson Fosdick

"Don't fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have."
- Louis E. Boone

"Only the really plain people know about love - the very fascinating ones try so hard to create an impression that they soon exhaust their talents."
- Katharine Hepburn
~~~~~
For the occasional time when you want a scathing comment:

- In his case, the elevator rarely reaches the top floor.
- He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle.
- They got into the gene pool when the lifeguard wasn't looking.
- She has a room temperature IQ. (This one probably works best in Celsius countries.)
- If you give her a penny for her thoughts, you'll get change.

And my personal favourite:
- Some drink from the fountain of knowledge; she only gargled.

Resuming normal transmission

Or at least, that's the intent.
We seem to have lived in total mayhem for the past six months. It's been an intense time of focus and constant hard work. Now, hopefully, we can resume normal transmission for a few months.
If you're wondering what all the hard work has been - take a quick look at the new Interislander ferry - Kaitaki. From now on if you travel across the Cook Strait on her you will be under our care. She has 4 evacuation systems each of which is 25m long and has a number of 50 & 100 person liferafts. To complete each system takes two weeks, with long hours installing it back on the vessel.
However, don't blame me for rotten sailing conditions or any delays to the sailing schedule we only work on her while she's bunkering on Sunday nights.

This past weekend also saw the end of the dreaded Boat Shows.
I've decided that it is nice to talk with people, especially when you find out how little they know about their equipment, but I have to say that I will be happy to have my weekends back.

I am also taking tentative steps into the world of technology by installing Skype on the work computer. It's bizarre to talk over the 'net and feel like you are standing less than a foot away from the person you are speaking to. I think that will take a bit of getting used to.
If anyone is already techie enough to be Skype-ing, you should find me listed. If you don't, just drop me an email and I'll send through the details.

I have also begun the search for a personal trainer to turn this aging body into something that might pass as mildly fit. I've given up on the gym as an answer. Since I sit on my backside all day for work and I haven't managed to find an inspiring-enough sport to get me into action in the evenings, I thought I might give the one-on-one thing a try. All-in-all I figure I'll be a challenge for any PT. If anyone has a good recommendation let me know.

Take care, talk to you soon.
~~~~~
"The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it."
- Harry Emerson Fosdick

"Don't fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have."
- Louis E. Boone

"Only the really plain people know about love - the very fascinating ones try so hard to create an impression that they soon exhaust their talents."
- Katharine Hepburn
~~~~~
For the occasional time when you want a scathing comment:

- In his case, the elevator rarely reaches the top floor.
- He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle.
- They got into the gene pool when the lifeguard wasn't looking.
- She has a room temperature IQ. (This one probably works best in Celsius countries.)
- If you give her a penny for her thoughts, you'll get change.

And my personal favourite:
- Some drink from the fountain of knowledge; she only gargled.

WIPs

As of today I have two official WIPs (Works In Progress).

The first is Teresa Wentzler's Fantasy Triptych, which is currently on my scroll frame.
The second is Nora Corbett's Angel Proclamation, which is due to be brought out next month for it's turn on the frame.

And I simply will not mention how many things are sitting as UFOs (UnFinished Objects) in my drawer. I might just try to get one or two of them out for a rotation next year, once I am a bit closer to finishing either of FT or AP.

Spring cleaning time...

It has always struck me, when I look around my home at this time of year, that I keep a huge amount of rubbish.
That is to say, clutter. Stuff I don't use. Stuff I don't need. Stuff that is just taking up space.
The traditional way of shifting all of this is by a garage sale, or throwing it in the bin in a fit of spring cleaning ! Well, it is Spring here in NZ after all, so if you don't have enough stuff for a garage sale, and you feel vaguely guilty at contributing a *perfectly good* thingumywatzit to the ever growing mountain of non-biodegradeable rubbish then there is an alternative.
You can give it away !

Yes, create some good karma for yourself, give someone something for nothing - and come away with a clear space and reduced dusting. The Chinese have known the value of this through the centuries, just read any book on Feng Shui and the first thing it will say is 'clear the clutter'. It's about keeping a margin, a gap, some breathing space and keeping the energy flowing.
I know the value of this from the happy faces coming to my door, helping to clear my house of clutter and giving me back my margins. I always feel better when I have removed something old and unused from my home. It's as though my energy was truly stuck to the object, and is released back to me once I have passed it along.

If you don't have enough stuff for a garage sale, and want to give my alternative a go, try Freecycling or "Throwing" things. There is bound to be someone who can use what you have.

Enjoy the experience !

And now for the quotes.

Einstein's Three Rules of Work:
1) Out of clutter find simplicity;
2) From discord find harmony;
3) In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened."
- Winston Churchill

"Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits."
- Thomas Edison

And finally, the humour.
Some nifty little sayings for you.

• My idea of housework is sweeping the room with a glance.


• It is easier to get forgiveness than permission.


• For every action, there is an equal and opposite government programme.


• If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.


• Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of cheques.


• A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.


• Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.


• Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.


• Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.


• Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.

Until next time, take it easy and enjoy life !

Thud !

Ah, yet another wonderful adventure in the Discworld. I have been a huge fan of Terry Pratchett ever since I bought my first book back in Glasgow in the very early 1990s. If you haven't heard of this fantasy fiction world - Where have you been ? Living under a rock ?!

In this case it is the seventh escapade for the Ankh-Morpork City Watch and it's Commander, Sam Vimes. It is lovely and topical - there's more than a little of the Da Vinci code in this one - and as always Mr Pratchett manages a good old-fashioned side-swipe at the state that humanity gets itself into. Although in this case it is shown up in the behaviour of the dwarfs and the trolls. If you enjoy a good laugh and sly, subtle humour then this is a book to add to your library.

If you are new to the Discworld, then start at the beginning, you might even recognise where my alter-ego, Twoflour, comes from.
For that you want The Colour of Magic.
It really doesn't pay to jump into the middle of any of the mini-series - either the City Watch or the Witches, or Death for that matter. Each book can *stand alone*, but you won't have the background info on the characters and will miss a lot of jokes because of it.

I can't recommend this highly enough. And no, I'm not a convention-going, signature-hunting, costume-wearing, cult-following groupie. I'm just a very satisfied reader, who appreciates the breadth of knowledge and work that is put into each of these stories. If in any doubt about that - take a short stroll through the book Pyramids. It's such a nice, but fantastical view of ancient Egypt, or I should say Djelibeybi.
For an independent review of Pyramids, take a look here.

Okay, so that makes this book a 4* out of 5.


*it only gets a 4 because I could put it down and do other things.

Spring cleaning time...

It has always struck me, when I look around my home at this time of year, that I keep a huge amount of rubbish.
That is to say, clutter. Stuff I don't use. Stuff I don't need. Stuff that is just taking up space.
The traditional way of shifting all of this is by a garage sale, or throwing it in the bin in a fit of spring cleaning ! Well, it is Spring here in NZ after all, so if you don't have enough stuff for a garage sale, and you feel vaguely guilty at contributing a *perfectly good* thingumywatzit to the ever growing mountain of non-biodegradeable rubbish then there is an alternative.
You can give it away !

Yes, create some good karma for yourself, give someone something for nothing - and come away with a clear space and reduced dusting. The Chinese have known the value of this through the centuries, just read any book on Feng Shui and the first thing it will say is 'clear the clutter'. It's about keeping a margin, a gap, some breathing space and keeping the energy flowing.
I know the value of this from the happy faces coming to my door, helping to clear my house of clutter and giving me back my margins. I always feel better when I have removed something old and unused from my home. It's as though my energy was truly stuck to the object, and is released back to me once I have passed it along.

If you don't have enough stuff for a garage sale, and want to give my alternative a go, try Freecycling or "Throwing" things. There is bound to be someone who can use what you have.

Enjoy the experience !


And now for the quotes.

Einstein's Three Rules of Work:
1) Out of clutter find simplicity;
2) From discord find harmony;
3) In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened."
- Winston Churchill

"Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits."
- Thomas Edison

And finally, the humour.
Some nifty little sayings for you.

• My idea of housework is sweeping the room with a glance.
• It is easier to get forgiveness than permission.
• For every action, there is an equal and opposite government programme.
• If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.
• Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of cheques.
• A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
• Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.
• Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.
• Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
• Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.
  

Until next time, take it easy and enjoy life !

"K is For Killer"

"K is for Killer" by Sue Grafton is the 11th book in the Alphabet series.
Kinsey Millhone is called upon to investigate the death of a young woman after her mother receives an unwelcome item in her post.

I continue to find reading Sue Grafton's work an easy pleasure. For me, it is like reading a modern version of Agatha Christie. The writing is crisp and, to be honest, a no-brainer. Of the books in the series that I have read to date, this was the least enjoyable. Not because of the writing, but because the plot didn't draw me in as much as the others. The end came quickly and the *baddie* was outed in a vaguely unsatisfying way. As it stands, just a little less than a week after finishing the book I can't tell you what the culprit's motive was.

On the whole, I'd give this a 2 out of 5.

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Okay.
So I am a full-on W&G fan, otherwise why would you find me sitting in a cinema in the middle of a Saturday afternoon surrounded by 8 year olds ! Yes, I didn't even bother to do a *rent-a-child* as a cover. No niece, nephew or sundry other small, sticky, noisy tag-alongs. (Well, it depends on how you view John, really!)

So, the tale goes:
W&G have their own humane (shouldn't that also be dogmane?) bunny trapping company - "Anti-Pesto". It's four days before the big Vege Competition and all the local gardeners are keen to keep the crops pristine for the big event. It's up to W&G to protect the veges.
But, of course, technology has a way of getting in the way of Wallace or is that Wallace gets in the way of technology? Either way, we end up with a Were-Rabbit that feels the need to feed his nightly munchies. Thereafter follow the traditional chase scenes and the final resolution for the bunnies and their Were-brother.

My review:
There are many subtle jokes throughout the movie, many of which are visual. I still love seeing the animators' fingerprints on the clay-dough characters, and you can't go wrong with the wonderful Peter Sallis as Wallace. The jokes are still tongue-in-cheek stuff, and mostly aimed at the adults accompanying the kids. It is light entertainment and a nice addition to the W&G stable, but it felt a little flat in comparison with the preceding stories.
However, in saying that, I still left the theatre smiling.

So I'd give it a 3 out of 5 rating:

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Okay.
So I am a full-on W&G fan, otherwise why would you find me sitting in a cinema in the middle of a Saturday afternoon surrounded by 8 year olds ! Yes, I didn't even bother to do a *rent-a-child* as a cover. No niece, nephew or sundry other small, sticky, noisy tag-alongs. (Well, it depends on how you view John, really!)

So, the tale goes:
W&G have their own humane (shouldn't that also be dogmane?) bunny trapping company - "Anti-Pesto". It's four days before the big Vege Competition and all the local gardeners are keen to keep the crops pristine for the big event. It's up to W&G to protect the veges.
But, of course, technology has a way of getting in the way of Wallace or is that Wallace gets in the way of technology? Either way, we end up with a Were-Rabbit that feels the need to feed his nightly munchies. Thereafter follow the traditional chase scenes and the final resolution for the bunnies and their Were-brother.

My review:
There are many subtle jokes throughout the movie, many of which are visual. I still love seeing the animators' fingerprints on the clay-dough characters, and you can't go wrong with the wonderful Peter Sallis as Wallace. The jokes are still tongue-in-cheek stuff, and mostly aimed at the adults accompanying the kids. It is light entertainment and a nice addition to the W&G stable, but it felt a little flat in comparison with the preceding stories.
However, in saying that, I still left the theatre smiling.

So I'd give it a 3 out of 5 rating:

The oddness of dreams...

I have long been interested in Carl Jung and the imagery of dreams. But I am not so fortunate to have regular visits from vivid and memorable dreams.
Perhaps it is because I don't take the time to record them when I wake, or because it simply hasn't been a priority to look into my psyche and soul in recent times.

About two months ago, on a Saturday, I woke from an odd dream. I did not record the details and they have faded away from my memory leaving only an imprinted feeling. But that morning I acted on the impulse the dream had given me.
I went online, even before my morning shower (unheard of !) and Googled a range of names for the best part of an hour.

My dream had been simply full of people from my childhood. I don't remember what they did or said, or what the dream imagery actually was. But I awoke with a desire to find out what they had done with their lives.

The names I looked for were not all long-lost friends, some were adversaries and passing acquaintances who had made an impact in short whistle-stop visits through my childhood. Some were people whom I spent 10 years going through the schooling system with in the same classes, but were never close to.

Most of the names did not register anything in Google, but a couple did. In the end the search took me to a website called OldFriends.co.nz where I read through the names listed for my Primary, Intermediate and High School. Many were familiar, but I didn't feel compelled to write to anyone. That is until last week.

Last week I took the plunge. I felt awkward. The person I was contacting was now important in the world. We had played together as young children - about 7 or 8 years old. My memory of our time as children was vague, but even after 25+ years I could still pull up a clear image of his face in my mind. I had read his profile and felt compelled to congratulate him on his success in life. Don't ask me why, because I'm not sure I know the answer to that. It just felt like the thing to do.
But I was timid. I waffled. I had internal arguments with myself. And finally, I wrote a short email - covering my ego with "you may not remember me but...".

As it turned out, he did remember me, and listening to ABBA as children.

I have always considered myself a fairly anonymous type of person. Not one to have a great impact on others, or be memorable in any big way.
So I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was remembered clearly by someone so long after I had passed out of their everyday life.

It has shown me the imprint we can unknowingly leave, minor or major in the world; of the nature of being human and the longevity of memories; and the oddness of dreams, and the lessons they can unexpectedly bring us.

The oddness of dreams...

I have long been interested in Carl Jung and the imagery of dreams. But I am not so fortunate to have regular visits from vivid and memorable dreams.
Perhaps it is because I don't take the time to record them when I wake, or because it simply hasn't been a priority to look into my psyche and soul in recent times.

About two months ago, on a Saturday, I woke from an odd dream. I did not record the details and they have faded away from my memory leaving only an imprinted feeling. But that morning I acted on the impulse the dream had given me.
I went online, even before my morning shower (unheard of !) and Googled a range of names for the best part of an hour.

My dream had been simply full of people from my childhood. I don't remember what they did or said, or what the dream imagery actually was. But I awoke with a desire to find out what they had done with their lives.

The names I looked for were not all long-lost friends, some were adversaries and passing acquaintances who had made an impact in short whistle-stop visits through my childhood. Some were people whom I spent 10 years going through the schooling system with in the same classes, but were never close to.

Most of the names did not register anything in Google, but a couple did. In the end the search took me to a website called OldFriends.co.nz where I read through the names listed for my Primary, Intermediate and High School. Many were familiar, but I didn't feel compelled to write to anyone. That is until last week.

Last week I took the plunge. I felt awkward. The person I was contacting was now important in the world. We had played together as young children - about 7 or 8 years old. My memory of our time as children was vague, but even after 25+ years I could still pull up a clear image of his face in my mind. I had read his profile and felt compelled to congratulate him on his success in life. Don't ask me why, because I'm not sure I know the answer to that. It just felt like the thing to do.
But I was timid. I waffled. I had internal arguments with myself. And finally, I wrote a short email - covering my ego with "you may not remember me but...".

As it turned out, he did remember me, and listening to ABBA as children.

I have always considered myself a fairly anonymous type of person. Not one to have a great impact on others, or be memorable in any big way.
So I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was remembered clearly by someone so long after I had passed out of their everyday life.

It has shown me the imprint we can unknowingly leave, minor or major in the world; of the nature of being human and the longevity of memories; and the oddness of dreams, and the lessons they can unexpectedly bring us.

Malamala

Just thought I would tease you with a picture of Malamala Island. This is an excellent day trip if you are on the Nadi side of Fiji. It's not really expensive, it's a pleasant boat ride from Port Denarau, and the food is fantastic.

Might be a bit scary if you are a first-time snorkeller and aren't too comfortable in deep water. You get taken by their little boat out into the deeper water and are told to jump out. But if you are happy to float along it will be a fun trip.

If you do decide to go on this trip, take the smart option - go for the Earlybird trip. It is a slightly cooler part of the day to travel and normally there are fewer people on the boat. It also means that you will probably get more choice in equipment if you aren't bringing your own. If you are a diver/snorkeller, try to bring your own mask & snorkel as it will save a lot of hassle dealing with the older equipment available. The fins they have are just fine.

Enjoy ! 

Malamala

Just thought I would tease you with a picture of Malamala Island. This is an excellent day trip if you are on the Nadi side of Fiji. It's not really expensive, it's a pleasant boat ride from Port Denarau, and the food is fantastic.

Might be a bit scary if you are a first-time snorkeller and aren't too comfortable in deep water. You get taken by their little boat out into the deeper water and are told to jump out. But if you are happy to float along it will be a fun trip.

If you do decide to go on this trip, take the smart option - go for the Earlybird trip. It is a slightly cooler part of the day to travel and normally there are fewer people on the boat. It also means that you will probably get more choice in equipment if you aren't bringing your own. If you are a diver/snorkeller, try to bring your own mask & snorkel as it will save a lot of hassle dealing with the older equipment available. The fins they have are just fine.

Enjoy ! 

Oh Waily Waily begins...

A brief introduction to Oh Waily Waily may be necessary for those of you who are not dyed-in-the-wool readers of Terry Pratchett.
The title of my blog originates from two of his books for children, "The Wee Free Men" and "A Hat Full of Sky" .
The tiny blue characters who are heard to cry "Oh waily, waily, waily!" are a literary nod to the Picts of ancient Scotland, by way of much more modern Glaswegian influences. As a Scot by birth, and having spent two years of my life as a young adult in Glasgow it feels right to choose the cry for a blog that may well contain rants, tantrums and the verbal version of hair pulling.

But to start the blog off there will be no tantrums or rants. And I shan't be pulling my own or anyone else's hair either.
What I will do is begin just as I have always done with the Cerebral Muttering emails, with a few quotes that I particularly like.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
- Winston Churchill

"One thing you can't recycle is wasted time."
- Anonymous

"Life is a long lesson in humility."
- Sir James Matthew Barrie

~~~
John and I recently spent a week in Fiji. Our annual holiday abroad. The weather was glorious, not a drop of rain the entire week and temperatures in the late 20s and early 30s. Just the thing to refresh the body and mind. As usual seven days just wasn't enough, and I have come home wanting more of the same.
For those of you who have been to Denarau, there is much change happening on the Island. The Sheraton where John and I were married last year is now undergoing renovations and will re-open as a Westin hotel. The Sofitel is well underway, and the Hilton and Denarau Resort are also now under construction.

We had a nice, belated, anniversary dinner in the Japanese restaurant at the Sheraton, but didn't repeat our visit to Ports o'Call for the flaming Crepes Suzette.

For those interested in photographs, you can take a look at my webshots album here: http://community.webshots.com/user/twoflour

~~~
And to finish this first entry, some cute proverbs:

- Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.

- Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good.

- Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.

- Politicians and diapers have two things in common. They should both be changed regularly and for the same reason.

- An optimist thinks that this is the best possible world. A pessimist fears that this is true.

- Indecision is the key to flexibility.

- It hurts to be on the cutting edge.

- I am a nutritional overachiever

- I am in shape. Round is a shape.

- A day without sunshine is like night.

- I have kleptomania, and when it gets bad, I take something for it.

- The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.

- Age doesn't always bring wisdom. Sometimes age comes alone.

~~~
Until the next entry, take care and enjoy life.
- Lynn -

Oh Waily Waily begins...

A brief introduction to Oh Waily Waily may be necessary for those of you who are not dyed-in-the-wool readers of Terry Pratchett.
The title of my blog originates from two of his books for children, "The Wee Free Men" and "A Hat Full of Sky" .
The tiny blue characters who are heard to cry "Oh waily, waily, waily!" are a literary nod to the Picts of ancient Scotland, by way of much more modern Glaswegian influences. As a Scot by birth, and having spent two years of my life as a young adult in Glasgow it feels right to choose the cry for a blog that may well contain rants, tantrums and the verbal version of hair pulling.

But to start the blog off there will be no tantrums or rants. And I shan't be pulling my own or anyone else's hair either.
What I will do is begin just as I have always done with the Cerebral Muttering emails, with a few quotes that I particularly like.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
- Winston Churchill

"One thing you can't recycle is wasted time."
- Anonymous

"Life is a long lesson in humility."
- Sir James Matthew Barrie

~~~
John and I recently spent a week in Fiji. Our annual holiday abroad. The weather was glorious, not a drop of rain the entire week and temperatures in the late 20s and early 30s. Just the thing to refresh the body and mind. As usual seven days just wasn't enough, and I have come home wanting more of the same.
For those of you who have been to Denarau, there is much change happening on the Island. The Sheraton where John and I were married last year is now undergoing renovations and will re-open as a Westin hotel. The Sofitel is well underway, and the Hilton and Denarau Resort are also now under construction.

We had a nice, belated, anniversary dinner in the Japanese restaurant at the Sheraton, but didn't repeat our visit to Ports o'Call for the flaming Crepes Suzette.

For those interested in photographs, you can take a look at my webshots album here: http://community.webshots.com/user/twoflour

~~~
And to finish this first entry, some cute proverbs:

- Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.

- Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good.

- Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.

- Politicians and diapers have two things in common. They should both be changed regularly and for the same reason.

- An optimist thinks that this is the best possible world. A pessimist fears that this is true.

- Indecision is the key to flexibility.

- It hurts to be on the cutting edge.

- I am a nutritional overachiever

- I am in shape. Round is a shape.

- A day without sunshine is like night.

- I have kleptomania, and when it gets bad, I take something for it.

- The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.

- Age doesn't always bring wisdom. Sometimes age comes alone.

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Until the next entry, take care and enjoy life.
- Lynn -