Hello Friday!!
What made me happy this week? Oh and some F words!
A fabulous fundraising feat
Getting my Christmas on by going to the Bath Christmas Markets, as well as the Queen Victoria Inn at Priddy near Cheddar in Somerset, made me very happy this past week. An amazing day which made me smile and definitely got me in the Christmas spirit.
We wanted to see for ourselves the fabulous effort that goes into transforming the local pub at Priddy, into the Gingerbread Inn, an event that happens every year. We’d heard about it from our daughter and had seen some amazing photos of it from last year in the snow.
Although we went in the late afternoon, and in broad daylight, we obviously didn’t see it with the lights on. Yet the effect was still amazing and we got the idea! This transformation has been going on every December, for the past few years, and the owner raises money for local causes – it is a sight for sore eyes!!
F words include fabulous, fundraising, feat, family and fun 🙂
Some photos:
One of the few benefits of it getting dark so early over here in England, is the amazing Christmas lights and decorations everywhere. It is just brilliant and seems so much more appropriate than our hot, sunny Christmases at home.
More happiness
Dottie continues to thrive at home, it’s been so much fun being here, seeing her and helping out wherever we can. She’s been out for walks in the pram and for drives in the car this week and had her first cuddles with Papa G (aka the Mathematician) .
What made me sad this week?
- During the week, I saw that the Apostrophe Protection Society closed its doors, announcing that ‘the ignorance and laziness present in modern times have won!’
The key points from this ABC (Australia) News article are:
- British journalist and subeditor John Richards founded the group to combat what he saw as the “amazing” misuse of the apostrophe
- At 96, he can no longer keep up with what he believes is an increase in crimes against punctuation
- A language researcher disagrees, saying the rules around apostrophes have always been confusing and illogical
I admit I have a soft spot for the humble apostrophe and found this article to be quite sad 😦 One of my daughters sent me this link just in case I had missed it – she knows me well!
I have been known to remove stray apostrophes on blackboard signs and my sister is also known as a pedant (I mean that in the nicest possible way). She sees far more examples of the wrongful use of apostrophes than I ever will, as she’s an academic involved in marking the work of university students.
How do you feel about apostrophes? Be aware our continuing friendship may depend on your response to this seemingly simple question!
2. The state of things back home in Australia what with bushfires everywhere, politicians behaving badly and inclement weather. It’s not looking good at all.
What made a difference this week?
An interesting app called What3words took my fancy this week
Learning about an app called What3words. You may have already heard about this app but it’s new to me.
What is it?
what3words is a really simple way to talk about location.
We have assigned each 3m square in the world a unique 3 word address that will never change.
For example ///filled.count.soap marks the exact entrance to what3words’ London headquarters.
3 word addresses are easy to say and share, and are as accurate as GPS coordinates.
51.520847, -0.19552100 ←→ /// filled.count.soap
Our vision is to become a global standard for communicating location. People use what3words to find their tents at festivals, navigate to B&Bs, and to direct emergency services to the right place.
3 word addresses are unique, more precise than postcodes and available in over 35 languages.
Source – What3words
Where am I at the moment? My location is: ///clarifies.loved.slopes
Have you heard of or used this app before? It’s quite fun seeing what 3 random words come up for your location and apparently it’s quite useful too! These photos below each have their 3 word location after the ///
Sunset is very early
I can’t get used to the earliness of the sun setting here in the UK but it is good for photos! Here’s my favourite shot from this week, it was taken just before 4pm in the afternoon!
Sunset through the hedgerows
OK it’s your turn now – what would your answers be?
I always enjoy reading your responses to these three questions so please leave me a comment and tell me how your week has been – what made you happy, sad and what made a difference to you. Your answers don’t have to be serious they can be fun – that’s a other great F word 🙂
I’m also interested in what your F word for the week would be?
Deb xx
- Friday’s 3 questions #6
- Friday’s 3 questions #5
- Friday’s 3 questions #4
- Friday’s 3 questions #3
- Friday’s 3 questions #2
- Friday’s 3 questions #1
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So glad the baby girl is doing so well, what a blessing! Typos or misuse of the apostrophe irks me big time as well as the your and you’re misuse, to and too. Ok, I’ll stop for now on that. What3words sonds intereting, I love new technology! What an awesome gingerbread man house!!
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Thanks Dee, it’s been such a worry but Dottie is making good progress now. I’m enjoying my daily cuddles and will miss her dreadfully when I go home.
I agree the misuse of words is annoying!!
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You are looking so relaxed Deb and with Dottie improving daily your year is ending on a high. What made me happy this week? Completing the second client for Module 3 (8 to go!), spending time with both Grandsons on Wednesday even though Ethan was not well. Have a lovely weekend Deb and don’t the weeks fly! xx
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Hi Sue, I’m feeling good and am loving my daily cuddles with Dottie. I’m so happy you’ve spent some time with the boys and hope Ethan has recovered now. I’m also thrilled you have completed another assignment. You are going to be a great trainer/coach after all of this work. The weeks are flying by and I’m really enjoying my daily Dottie cuddles while I can. xx
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Happy – the sun finally shone on Sunday – enjoyed a trip to Kingston Lacy a favourite National Trust place, dry weather continued so I manged to get out in the garden in the week.
Sad -smallest grandson has a hernia!
What made a difference? Winter afternoons and evenings are brightened in Southbourne Grove with bright shop windows and cosy lights shining out of all our bars and cafes. It’s the only place we’ve lived where the area is going up!
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That’s great to hear you enjoyed the sunshine in such a beautiful place! I hope your grandson is OK, it must be a worrying time for you all. I’m with you, I’m loving the decorations, windows and lights, it makes this time of the year so special. Thanks for joining in!
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You look like you are having a great time! I love that building covered in pine cones and dried fruits/veggies. I also read about the Apostrophe Protection Society… very sad. God knows the apostrophe needs to be protected, and I guess it’s (with an apostrophe) up to us to protect its (no apostrophe) correct usage.
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I am having a great time Janis! I’ve since read the society might be saved – hooray!!
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So wonderful to see Dottie thriving. Such a little miracle.
I have been working diligently on better apostrophe usage. My daughter loses her mind at misuse of it. 🙂
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Hi Sue, it has been a delight to see Dottie flourish and to be here as support for our daughter. I know you understand that feeling only too well! Hooray for your daughter, so funny how get invested in these things 🙂
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That Gingerbread Inn is incredible!
It’s wonderful to hear Dottie is getting on so well, and Papa G looks happy to be getting some cuddle time.
I saw that article about the Apostrophe Society. It actually made me really sad when I read what John said, feeling as though he can’t win the war in these changing times. I too have a soft spot for the apostrophe, and grammar in general. We can’t always get it right if we’re tired or rushed, but an appreciation for correct grammar is important. We should cherish our language, the way it allows us to communicate. It’s vital. I fear one day all talk will be through showing an emoji to the person you’re ‘talking to’ on a holographic tablet.
Have a restful weekend, Deb 😊
Caz xx
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I get it Caz!! But I have since heard the society might be saved! The gingerbread inn is a sight to behold even without the lights on. Yes we are both enjoying Dottie cuddles, she really snuggles in 🙂 .
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They do the festive season so well on the other side of the world. Christmas markets are such fun things to go to even more so if they happen to be in Bath. More importantly Dottie and you all are looking very cheery.
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Yes we are all very cheery despite the change in weather, it’s very wet and chilly today! I wish I could send some of this rain back home. It’s lovely being here at this time of the year 🙂
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Good one Deb. The Bath market looks very Christmassy, they are wonderful places to visit. Can’t beat a good festive market can you? (used an apostrophe there, I’m a big fan and always find myself trying not to put people right). Lovely to see Dottie doing so well, must be a massive relief for you all. And What3words? Brilliant concept and a great site. Being used a lot around the world now I believe.
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Thanks Jonno, for us a Christmas market is a novelty! I must say we are enjoying ourselves immensely 🙂
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Just love that gingerbread inn – Christmas is so magical in England. And how wonderful to hear that Dottie is doing so well. Toni x
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