Not too much to report today.....a long busy shift looking after a seriously ill patient that actually looked like Father Christmas! made the whole day feel ever-so-slightly surreal!
Now I am curled up on my couch with Meg and Maddie.........Strictly Come Dancing final in on the tv, the Christmas lights are on and Chris is frantically dialling for Chris Hollings to win!
Christmas has been made just that little bit better, as work has allowed me to start work at 10pm rather than at 7.30pm.....it means I can now have an unrushed dinner with the family instead of darting off..... happy days !!!!!!!!!!!
Panto
We have started to realise that Christmas has its own traditions here in Wales
, and one tradition that has kind of sneaked up on us is the annual trip to see the Theatre Clwyd Pantomime.
Unlike the more common versions in say Rhyl and Llandudno. The production at Mold, is more a "musical" in nature, and seems to have all the best bits of panto added on for good measure!
So in tonight's performance of Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood, the small ensemble cast belted out musical numbers from the likes of Meatloaf, Springstein, Clapton and even Michael Jackson in between the usual camp-as-Christmas semi dirty double entendre and panto dame with comedy breasts running amok amid a packed audience.
Theatre Clwyd's productions are always talent filled. The cast not only act, sing and dance, but they play a whole orchestra of instruments and literally fill the auditorium with energy and noise.
I must in any other season of the year, I suspect I would not really enjoy this brash, well tried formula of musical theatre, but in December, it all seems great fun"
Thanks to my sister Ann for organising it all
, and one tradition that has kind of sneaked up on us is the annual trip to see the Theatre Clwyd Pantomime.Unlike the more common versions in say Rhyl and Llandudno. The production at Mold, is more a "musical" in nature, and seems to have all the best bits of panto added on for good measure!
So in tonight's performance of Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood, the small ensemble cast belted out musical numbers from the likes of Meatloaf, Springstein, Clapton and even Michael Jackson in between the usual camp-as-Christmas semi dirty double entendre and panto dame with comedy breasts running amok amid a packed audience.
Theatre Clwyd's productions are always talent filled. The cast not only act, sing and dance, but they play a whole orchestra of instruments and literally fill the auditorium with energy and noise.
I must in any other season of the year, I suspect I would not really enjoy this brash, well tried formula of musical theatre, but in December, it all seems great fun"
Thanks to my sister Ann for organising it all
Poorly hens and a scratching dog
I have so much to do today. I am working all day tomorrow, and today I need to clear out most of the mud soaked coops today as well as doing some last minute Christmas postal shopping for Chris, which needs to be posted today.The ice is thick on the ground this morning ( at last!!!) so the pigs can actually walk across their enclosure ON TOP of the mud! which must feel wonderful after months of cold deep mud!
One of my oldest hens (The last member of the 4 Andrews sisters) looks droopy and ill today. I have tried feeding her up over the last week, but her appetite has tailed off drastically. So I will try and catch her today to give the old girl some TLC.....however, I think that it may be her time
William has another vets appointment next week. He has some sort of allergy which means that he is constantly itching and biting at his fur and although being on very expensive hypoallergenic dry food, he remains irritated, which is awful to see.
The poor chap has had three courses of steroids which have helped, but I want to find out exactly what the allergy is ( apparently dust can be a trigger! which is a bummer in this house with all the coal dust flying around)
anyhow, I have almost finished my breakfast coffee. My wellies are standing ready by the back door and a hundredweight of poultry poo awaits!!!Sexy People
Sometimes you come across some gems on the net..... Sexy People is just one of those blogs that is fascinating in a car crash type of way.
Concentrating on "professionally" posed family portraits, this site is as funny as it is an important social and historical document
check it out at http://www.sexypeople-blog.com/
Above is Glen and his, not-to-be-crossed mafia Mom
As for home, not a great deal has happened today. The weather is icy cold tonight, the baby turkeys have been given extra straw for insulation and I have spent a challenging afternoon teasing out a mass of irritations and problems by an ex patient.
My 2009 Top Ten Films
It has been an interesting year for films...my favourite ones have been:-
1. I've Loved you so long (Il y a longtemps que je t'aime)
Kristin Scott Thomas (above) is absolutely wonderful as the woman carrying a dreaded secret who is reunited with her younger sister in this French drama
2. Australia.
Camp as Christmas Epic with everything but the kitchen sink thrown at it in a war torn Darwin. And despite the bad reviews I kind of liked Nicole Kidman's performance
3.Frozen River
A strangely moving and taut thriller about a trailer trash mom and her struggle to survive life's troubles. Melissa Leo is top notch in the lead role
4. Hunger
The cinematography in this study of the hunger striker Bobby Sands' last few weeks in prison is stunning. Cold, harrowing and hypnotic.
5. Red Cliff (Chi Bi)
A Chinese historical epic that takes the breath away
6. Fish Tank
This story of inner city family dysfunction is not an easy watch but the debut by 17 year old Katie Jarvis as the world weary Mia is a revelation.
7. Looking for Eric
The feel good movie of the year with Ken Loach at his warmest and most affectionate. Eric Cantona is wonderfully funny as an arrogant hallucination!
8 Star Trek
Yes, I am not too snobby when it comes to films! this energetic, exciting and clever re working of the tried and tested franchise was the flash, bang wallop film of the year....and boy did Zachary Quinto make a sexy Mr Spock
9 Broken Embraces (Los abrazos rotos)
Not one of Almodóvar's best movies but satisfying and intriguing.....and Penelope Cruz couldn't be better
10. Mid August Lunch (Prenzo di ferragosto )
An gentle Italian comedy of old age and respect
The others that didn't quite reach the top ten are, State of Play, Doubt,Milk, The Young Victoria,Frost/Nixon, Gran Torino,The Class (Entre les murs),Let the right one in(Låt den rätte komma in) and Anything for her (Pour Elle)
1. I've Loved you so long (Il y a longtemps que je t'aime)
Kristin Scott Thomas (above) is absolutely wonderful as the woman carrying a dreaded secret who is reunited with her younger sister in this French drama
2. Australia.
Camp as Christmas Epic with everything but the kitchen sink thrown at it in a war torn Darwin. And despite the bad reviews I kind of liked Nicole Kidman's performance
3.Frozen River
A strangely moving and taut thriller about a trailer trash mom and her struggle to survive life's troubles. Melissa Leo is top notch in the lead role
4. Hunger
The cinematography in this study of the hunger striker Bobby Sands' last few weeks in prison is stunning. Cold, harrowing and hypnotic.
5. Red Cliff (Chi Bi)
A Chinese historical epic that takes the breath away
6. Fish Tank
This story of inner city family dysfunction is not an easy watch but the debut by 17 year old Katie Jarvis as the world weary Mia is a revelation.
7. Looking for Eric
The feel good movie of the year with Ken Loach at his warmest and most affectionate. Eric Cantona is wonderfully funny as an arrogant hallucination!
8 Star Trek
Yes, I am not too snobby when it comes to films! this energetic, exciting and clever re working of the tried and tested franchise was the flash, bang wallop film of the year....and boy did Zachary Quinto make a sexy Mr Spock
9 Broken Embraces (Los abrazos rotos)
Not one of Almodóvar's best movies but satisfying and intriguing.....and Penelope Cruz couldn't be better
10. Mid August Lunch (Prenzo di ferragosto )
An gentle Italian comedy of old age and respect
The others that didn't quite reach the top ten are, State of Play, Doubt,Milk, The Young Victoria,Frost/Nixon, Gran Torino,The Class (Entre les murs),Let the right one in(Låt den rätte komma in) and Anything for her (Pour Elle)
Pranzo di ferragosto (2008)
Well, 2009 is almost over and we have just seen one of the movies that will obviously make this year's final top 10 best films. Pranzo di ferragosto (Mid-August Lunch) is a meandering and ever-so-patient study of a farcical situation in the life of middle aged Giovanni (Gianni Di Gregorio) who lives in a tiny apartment in Rome with his decrepit mother (Valeria De Franciscis). Through a series of events, three other elderly matrons (Marina Cacciotti,Maria Calì and Grazia Cesarini Sforza) join them for a claustrophobic couple of days, and through the benign, alcohol infused and respectful behaviour of Giovanni, the initial bad feeling between the women develop into a joyful friendship.This is director Di Gregorio's first feature, and in a sweet (but never sentimental ) way, he subtly has a great deal to say about old age, respect, friendship and coping, but does so without the usual foray into patronising stereotypes and exploiting the elderly. I loved it.
9/10
Spinal days
I have always said I am an average Intensive care nurse. I am a safe practitioner, of that I am certain but it has to be said that the technical side of the job (the myriad of machinery, gadgets,drugs, fluid pumps and the snow deep amount of paper work that accompanies it all), does leave me a little cold.
I am, and I guess always will be a client centred rehabilitation nurse. This is where my skills lie and this is where I feel the most comfortable. Now of course I can transfer the skills I developed in my "spinal Injury days" to the forum of intensive care, and looking after distressed and grieving families perhaps is an example of this, but I still sometimes miss the very specialised area of spinal injury nursing.
Tomorrow I have the opportunity to help an ex patient of ours who sustained a spinal injury some months ago, and who has requested some specific help On a selfish level, I know I will get a bit of a buzz about knowing that I will be able to help him (whereas no one locally would possess my knowledge and experience)
Perhaps I am just a little conceited or is it just a case of feeling happy I am, in someway needed and useful?........
. On a menagerie level, Albert has outdone himself this morning and has brought in 4 mice in the space of just under an hour! The final corpse was paraded in front of the dogs with true big headed style and in a flourish, he spat the mouse out at Maddie's feet, who promptly ate it.
. On a menagerie level, Albert has outdone himself this morning and has brought in 4 mice in the space of just under an hour! The final corpse was paraded in front of the dogs with true big headed style and in a flourish, he spat the mouse out at Maddie's feet, who promptly ate it. I know I am a little over protective with Albert, but the curfew I have imposed on him ( he is housebound from 4pm to 8am!) has protected his leg from nocturnal accidents, and he is now walking almost normally. Mind you, when I was chasing the guinea fowl around the churchyard yesterday, he was merrily abseiling up and down the 7 foot Church wall withour pause or thought.
I have a nasty scratch over my nose and up into my right eye from an "attack" from one of the baby guinea fowl yesterday. They are dreadfully nervous, and have the nasty habit of bursting into flight directly into your face when upset......next time I will clean out their cage with a pair of industrial style goggles on!
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