Another Blether with Patrice

Hi Patrice, 

Here we are again with our weekly get-together. You know, you will soon have Spring, wont you? Does this mean we will soon have our chats on your porch again? It's been lovely to sit cozily inside these past weeks, but it will be nice to sit out on your porch again too. I'll begin answering the questions now...

1. Stephanie asks, "What kind of competitions do you prefer to watch: dancing, singing or cooking?"


Cooking, I think. I am fascinated by the artistic flair and the imagination of these cooks. I don't get many - indeed any - ideas from programmes like Masterchef. These guys are in a league of their own, but I still love to watch them, and drool over their creations.


2. My Kid's Mom asks, "Do you work? Are you retired? Are you a stay-at-home mum?


(a) and (c) I guess. I'm a stay-at-home mum, I homeschool the kids, and I work from home translating materials into Gaelic. 


3. Empty Nester asks, "What's your favourite thing about winter?"


Oh, I love the early, dark nights. I love that by four o'clock my brain is telling me it's evening and that I ought to be winding down. Of course, it's not so great because dinner still has to be made I can't actually wind down, but still ... I love the feeling. 


When we get snow I love that too. I love really cold, sunny days with snow on the ground. We hardly ever get weather like this, so when it does happen, it's extra special.

This was Christmas day last year. It was freezing, and the kids and menfolk went down to the machair for some sledging. Here's Grampa - yes, Grampa - on the sled. I blogged at the time about it.

And here were the kids last year building an igloo.

4. *I* asked, "What do you love most about where you live?"


Oooh, where do I begin? I love the view from my kitchen window ....

... in summer, 

and in winter.

But all my reasons for my loving where I live are not visual. I love living where I grew up, where the Builder grew up, where our kids have a dozen cousins within a few miles of them. 


I love the security of living here. I love living from day to day and never giving a moment's attention to crime - at least crime that may affect me personally. I don't live with certain things on the back of my mind, as they were when we lived in Glasgow. That is a real blessing.


I love living in what most people in our country would call the 'back of beyonds', 'the sticks'. I don't get in the slightest bit offended when we are referred to as Teuchters, or some similar term (a bit like some others may be termed Rednecks ;). I am quite happy with the millions in our country who live in cities and have never had the privilege of being 'country folk' believing us to be deprived of 'real life' in some way.


I've seen 'real life'. They are welcome to it ;)


5. Did you or your children (grandchildren too) ever have a doll house?


Nope.


Oh, you want more? Well, I never had a doll, so I think the doll's house may have been kind of pointless. Well, hang on... I could have parked my cars in it, and I could have housed my soldiers in it. I would, though, have had to paint the walls a dull camouflage colour, otherwise the soldiers may have felt a little odd. I'm not sure pink walls would have been conducive to good soldiering skills.


I just (as you will have guessed by now) never played with dolls. My girls were (slightly) more doll-y than I was and they did have baby-type dolls, though no Barbies. Oh dear me.... how I, er, dislike these dolls. 


((Shhhh. I actually hate them, but I have told my children so often that they ought not use the word 'hate'. As a consequence of this, I am forced to use the word 'dislike'. You may, however, come to your own conclusion about my true level of dislike for these .... things.))


6 Wendell asks, "If horses have blankets, why don't they get a pillow too?"


Wendell, I do believe that's an excellent question. And I think you ought to take this all the way. If you don't get satisfaction with a simple request, take it to the small claims' court. If ALL else fails, our European Court of Human Rights will listen to you.  

* * *       * * *       * * *

Well, Patrice, I'd better dash now and get some work done. We've had some lovely, winter weather this past while, but today we're back to gales. See you next week on your Porch!