In which Sourpuss muses on guilty pleasures…

August 18th, 2010

Here at Sourpuss Towers we do our best to be green. Whilst not achieving a deep even emerald green we do manage patches here and there. Cloth nappies; no tumble dryer; energy saving light bulbs, that kind of thing there is one pleasure, one love which can never be spoken out loud…
I really like my car, I enjoy driving, I love the ability to get in it and end up in lovely places without having to consult bus timetables or carry all the stuff we need for the average day out…
And probably most of all i know that the weirdo I’ll end up sitting next to is my weirdo Mr SP…

But shhhhh don’t tell anyone it’s just our secret!

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In which Sourpuss muses on different lives…

August 5th, 2010

Two years ago tomorrow, give or take a couple of days, we found out we were expecting our third child. Later, and quite surprisingly, we found out we were expecting twins.
The care I recieved at the RVI was amazing, lots of scans, including an amazing 3D one when Jenna caused some concern. I gave birth in a very well equipped, clean, warm delivery suite, at a time of my choosing with two midwives with me at all times.
There was a senior midwife and senior registrar available immediately there were concerns (Jenna again)
And so after three hours I held two beautiful, healthy babies in my arms. After a night on the ward I left hospital to go home with almost everything a new mother needs and far too many clothes.
Compare this to another mother of twins, she gave birth to her boys at home as the monsoon floods rose around her. Not for her the clean bed of the maternity ward, or the incubator for her precious sons.
Sadly there will be other babies, other Mothers, other families affected by the floods in Pakistan. Many families will loose a loved one, that many share your loss doesn’t lessen the pain, would that it did. More families will have lost belongings, homes and livelihoods, losses it will take time to replace.
As the severity of the Monsoon floods became apparent Aid and Development Agencies sprung into action, the charity I work for, Christian Aid, released emergency funds immediately, but more is needed.
The aid agencies working together through the DEC www.dec.org.uk are doing what they can please consider supporting this most important work through prayer and if possible financially.

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In which Sourpuss rewrites stuff…

July 10th, 2010

A young student was visiting Newcastle for the first time. He knew the flat he was due to look at was in Arthur’s Hill but wasn’t sure of the area.  While has was walking across the moor he was mugged. They took everything his wallet, phone, even his new jacket, which had the address of the flat and landlords number on a piece of paper in the pocket.

He managed to crawl over to a bench a slumped down, alone in a strange city, not quite sure where he was or who he could turn to.

Not too long later a smartly dressed woman walked passed, on her way to a meeting in town, she saw the figure slumped on the bench and assumed he was another student who’d over indulged at a freshers event, honestly these students have more money than sense what would his mother think, she thought as she hurried on…

Next on the path was the parish priest, who’d decided in the morning to walk to his meeting at the cathedral which he was now regretting on the long walk back from town.  He also saw the figure slumped on the seat, the priest casually pulled his scarf a little tighter round his neck, folded up his coat collar, and incidentally managed to cover his dog collar… after all he was expected for afternoon tea in the parish and it wouldn’t do to keep the dear ladies waiting…

Not long later Ibrahim was walking across the moor, he didn’t know Newcastle that well, it was so different from his home in Somalia, but the Home Office had dispersed him to this strange cold city where people spoke so quickly and didn’t want to know an asylum seeker from half a world away…

Ibrahim saw the young man on the bench he recognised that this was someone in pain and distress, he walked over and held the young man’s hand and placed his own coat round his shoulders. Slowly he helped the man to his feet and began to lead him to the walk in centre at the General, one place he knew he could get some help. Once there he used the last of his money to buy his new friend a hot drink he then gave him his phone so he could phone home. Once he was sure the young man’s injuries were being treated, that he had somewhere safe to spend the night, and was in touch with his family, Ibrahim quietly left the hospital.

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In which Sourpuss tries a new thing!

July 9th, 2010

It has to be said that on the whole Sourpuss doesn’t like to be home to Mr Change.  I like to know where things are and what to expect.
However, recently, I’ve begun to feel a little lacking in the technology department, frankly envious of other people’s phones and so I have taken the plunge, and my soon-to-be Brother-in-Law’s considerable expertise in mobile devices (and no that is not a euphemism) and bought a smart phone.
so SP is blogging from her phone, admitedly still sat at her desk, as this is still sermon procrastination (somethings do not change). But I could be any where!
So beware dear reader there is a chance you will now be hit with random thoughts from many different venues…

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In which Sourpus muses on casual racism…

June 27th, 2010

The racism of the title is not the type we all abhor, rather that which most people wouldn’t even regard as racism.  I am thinking particularly about the huge amount of anti-english rhetoric I have been exposed to over the last few football filled days.

To be honest it has upset me and I’ve struggled to understand why… why can’t I shrug it off as a joke?  Why does it hurt me so much when people who I have known for years are so anti the country of my birth?  I struggle with the all encompassing hatred of my homeland…

Before I get a lecture about the clearances, and 1745 and all that perhaps a little story…

When I was 14 my parents moved to Mull and I was catapulted into the living hell that was Oban High School at that time, this is not exageration, that is what school was for me, I was picked on daily, partly because I was new, partly because I was Catholic, partly because I was clever, BUT, and it is a big but, mainly because I was English.

I was 14 and was constantly abused from 6:30am on a Monday morning as I boarded the school bus, to 5pm on a Friday when I got off the bus again.  Shoves, kicks, punches, plus constant name calling.  I hated school, and Glencruitten Hostel when I stayed through the week.

Perhaps historically there are questions to be answered, and perhaps that needs to be done, however, the poor in England had a shoddy time of it too, farmers in England lost their land to sheep, political activist were exilled to foreign shore for demanding a living wage…

It is not as clear cut as the ABE (Anyone But England) folks would have us believe, and until this petty racism stops and we look to a common European future together children will continue to believe it’s ok to hate someone just because of their accent, and if it hurts them then they just can’t take a joke.

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In which Sourpuss fails to throw the baby out with the bath water…

April 13th, 2010

One of the phrases often used when contemplating change is “don’t throw the baby out with the bath water” now I may sound big headed but I’ve had a lot of experience with babies and bath water.  Babies are precious and hard to fit down a plug hole, cold bath water is not precious, well not in this country, unless there is a drought, then there’s a nifty trick you can do with a hose pipe and a Mr SP so the flowers don’t wilt in the garden, but I digress!

As I said babies are precious and you don’t tend to throw them out, the trick is recognising which is the baby and which is the bath water.  The loving ones neighbour bit, probably ranks as baby, the exclusion of everyone apart from an educated male elite probably isn’t.

We need to change the bathwater occasionally to make sure we’re holding onto the right things, love, grace, a Gospel for all, whilst throwing out bath water which was once warm, and probably smelt quite nice, but is now uncomfortable, chilly and a little unattractive to those not already in the bath…

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In which Sourpuss returns…

April 9th, 2010

Ok so I’ve been absent for quite sometime but it’s not because I don’t like you… life just gets in the way!

The main reason for my absence is the partial demise of my laptop… the back-light has gone so I can only use it with a monitor and so it is no longer technically a lap top it does mean I also spend far less time looking for dubious bargains on ebay or buying books on Amazon… I may be partially responsible for the recession… oooops, sorry there!

So life in Sourpuss Towers goes on, Mr Sourpus is a little gloomyer than normal, but hopefully the pills and some space will put that right.

Miney and Mo have celebrated a birthday and are expert at getting under feet, and reaching important stuff which would work rather better without being slimed on!  They are yet to become bipedal… but it’s only a matter of time!

Meaney is turning into a lovely young man, is now reading by choice, anything he can, cereal packets, road signs and anything to do with dinosaurs.  He is also re-writing the Bible, “In the beginning God was alone, so he made the big bang” Mr SP is very proud!

Eaney delights in telling us she will be ten next year, and is now officially gifted and talented (whatever that means)

As for me, well I went back to work last month, which is wonderful, I get to drink a hot drink whilst it’s still warm, eat my lunch at lunch time, go to the loo without an audience, and do my bit to save the world! 

My reasons for going back were many, firstly I really enjoy my job and love the people I work with, the work is interesting and varied and really make a difference to people I may never meet!  One of the other reasons was to regain a bit of myself, life is full on and I could feel myself disappearing into being Mummy Moon and I was beginning to care a bit too much about Jessica Fletcher and Homes under the Hammer!

So my prolonged absence has been nothing to do with a lenten observance (apart from “Oh look it’s Lent!”) more just real life impinging on my virtual one… 

Hopefully I’ll be back again before the summer is out…

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In which Sourpuss regenerates…

January 13th, 2010

 ”I don’t want to go…”

Sourpuss has morphed into The Doctor, strange but true.  Ever since the fateful day of THE SCAN where my last baby turned into Miney AND Mo I’ve been asked if I intended returning to work.  I’d assumed at first I would, we have an excellent childminder, the hours are good the work is stimulating and my colleagues probably some of the best people to work with.

However, I know I don’t want to work for the organisation for ever.  I firmly believe that there is a different path I’m being called to.  And if the right people say yes at the right time I would be looking at a new career before the twins are at school. 

So just before Christmas I decided I would not be returning, that I would enjoy my time at home, bake cakes, knit socks, pick play dough out of the carpet and generally drink lots of coffee with my mates!  I was happy with this decision until this morning when the time came to write the letter resigning my post.

Of the two wage earners in Sourpuss Towers, one loves their job, the other finds it so stressful that they are currently signed off work, so why is the happy one quitting? Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

So like the Doctor I find myself wailing “I don’t want to go…”

Is it too late to change my mind?

Will I regret it either way?

How foolish do I look right now?

Pee

Po

Belly

Bum

Drawers!

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In which Sourpuss feels some sympathy

January 5th, 2010

To be honest I’ve always felt some sympathy fo the climate change sceptic, I would love to believe that my actions have no effect on the climate.  That my life style has no impact on my fellow human beings either now or in the future, however this is not the case.

I am convinced that climate change is real, and that it is partly caused by our burning of fossil fuels (as an aside even if it’s not, burning a finite resource which has many other uses seems a bit foolhardy).

I am also, when in an unusually (for me) gloomy place, equally convinced that there is nothing we can do about it… at present the changes in our western lifestyle are too costly to contemplate, the science poorly understood and poorly reported, (don’t get me started on the current weather proving that there is no climate change!) and the political will not present.

The people currently affected by the unpredictable weather are too far away, either physically or in time, and by the time we are really in trouble it will be too late. 

But I will not loose hope, I will continue to do what little I can, turning down the heating, driving less, recycling more because how can I look at Eeney, Meany, Miney and Mo and not do what I can to preserve this beautiful planet for their children and grand-children?

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Hail thou long neglected Blog…

December 21st, 2009

Dear Reader,

I feel obliged to apologise for the neglect you have suffered over the last few weeks… Know that you were always in my thoughts, unfortunately those thoughts were usually half-baked and really not worth the time reading, or indeed writing!

So now as we slowly move to a new year full of promise, perhaps a few moments evaluating what has passed may be in order…

We have much to be thankful for…

4 Healthy, happy children (who are all quietly occupied elsewhere!)

A fight with cancer which, for the moment, my Step-dad is winning

Snow during the school holidays!

Two family engagements (of particular joy to Eeny who expects bridesmaid’s dresses!)

There were moments of Sadness too;

We said goodbye to our dear old cat Firkin who like Mog ended up dead tired, but we still sometimes see her memory around the place, especially on the winter jumpers and blankets which have come out over the last couple of weeks!

So what do we have to look forward too?

Crawling, walking and more teething…

Sats, violin practice, a hectic pre-teen social life!

more essays and not returning to paid work

And hopefully a more readable, regular blog…

Seasons blessings

SP

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