26 Oct 2011

Hestia....the grammar Nazi

We all make mistakes when we're typing or writing - and some folks really struggle with their writing skills because of dyslexia and other issues. This post is in NO way aimed at you. 

Sonshine brought home his latest 'Curriculum For Excellence' project for his homework.  Please note that word 'Excellence'.

Aside from the fact that one is supposed to be creating an innovative lantern on an island where it's sometimes impossible to buy a jar of capers, I magically fumed my way to fully-fledged grammar Nazi as I read it  in much the same way as Mild-Mannered Clark Kent ends up with his knickers on outside his trousers.....




I'll let the missing apostrophe on Hallowe'en go....but check out that first 'paragraph':

'Give of some light'  GIVE OF SOME LIGHT???????

Give OFF some light!!!!

'Was this written by a Class Assistant.....or a pupil?' I asked hopefully.

'Nah - it was written by a teacher.'

I was assured that it wasn't HIS teacher that wrote it.  Which is good, seeing as how she's Acting Assistant Head at the Primary at the moment and VERY lovely and Sonshine ADORES her.

Perhaps I should give the teacher in question the benefit of the doubt - perhaps it was just overly quick fingers on the keyboard....followed by a bit of duff proof-reading.

Am I being too pedantic?  Do I need to take a chill pill and worry not about the Western World's slow descent into grammar chaos?  Does text-speak herald the END of civilisation as we know it?  Should I drink weaker coffee in the morning before blogging?   :-)

24 Oct 2011

Hestia likes....fancy tea

My lovely friend was given a box of Japanese tea:

Here's a little box - one of 8 in the beautiful decorative main box


You take out the contents  - a prickly thing that resembles a tiny sleeping hedgehog, and put it in a tea glass and add recently boiled water.

And then you wait a few minutes and then.....

Culminating in THIS......
This is jasmine flowers in tea-needles and nasturtium blossom and it makes tea-drinking a beautiful thing to be savoured and enjoyed like a fine painting.

TEA DRINKING IN THE UK


BUT - you can provide your builder with endless cups of the above.
He's not getting jasmine flowers!

Do you like to make something ordinary into something special?

23 Oct 2011

Hestia's role....as domestic servant

Sonshine has been out playing on his riptsick with a friend.  Who's a girl.  Under strict instructions not to abandon her if any of his usual pals turn up.

I assume that she's gone for her lunch now too, because he has demanded something to eat.

Phone rang

A girlfriend, on for a chat.  We chat.  We talk about lots of inconsequential things.  For about 20 minutes.

I hang up the phone and realise that I can smell the sandwich-maker in the kitchen.

I go in and am greeted by this:



I'll just clarify the photo for you - it's the sandwich-maker (on and gently wafting smoke) a half-spread piece of bread (spread with mayonnaise.  using a fork).  A sad looking bit of gammon.

And a tiny note.

Here's the note:



Happy Sunday people :-)


17 Oct 2011

Hestia in London AGAIN

No, I haven't taken a tumble into the Thames and taken a snap on
the way down.  It's ART.
I've been looking forward to this, like a dog looks forward to a dropped sausage on the floor.  Positively SALIVATING to get to Lahndahn and immerse myself in the cultural delights that it has to offer.

But where to stay?

After a lengthy trawl through the city's accommodation providers we came across SACO and I tenatively asked them whether they had anything our budget in the self-catering sector.

They came up trumps with Think Earls Court. 

11 Oct 2011

Hestia...stands up for herself in a small, significant way


The Transvaginal Railway
Men - look away now.

I think that you know I like to have a bit of a laugh in life.  I'd rather laugh than be miserable. But I'm also the sort of person who errs on the side of caution rather than gay abandon - and this is especially the case where my health is concerned.

A while back I got some scans done - nothing too drastic - just ultrasound (like when you are having a baby) except they're looking at your cute little fibroids.  And the less pleasant transvaginal scan.  It sounds like a rail journey across a desolate part of Russia, but in actual fact - it's perfectly fine - don't worry about it if you need to have one.

10 Oct 2011

Hestia and...... trouser unpleasantness

I decided to buy a new pair of trousers (still working the denim detox, I am proud to say) and headed off to the only place in town that sells anything remotely On Trend.

I don't count The Factory Shop.  For obvious reasons.

Anyway, the girl who runs it is lovely and does her best to buy in lots of 'larger' sizes (ie 14 and 16).  I flicked through the rails, mentally noting that the majority of the tops that would fit me were 'one size' type efforts.  Which hang off my bust like I'm displaying the Turin Shroud.  Only less sexy.

1 Oct 2011

Hestia's wet weekend

The rest of you Darn Sarf may be basking in record-breaking October temperatures, but we up here in the land of the Pict and deep-fried Mars Bar are positively trench-footed from the wet stuff falling from the skies.

So, what does your Domestic Goddess do when it's wet?

First of all, she Facebooks until she is quite fractious from the constant clicking. Then she stands and looks out of the window for a bit.  Then she gets out her camera and does this:

Explore the ruined citadel of m'blog: