Oliver has discovered a love of Chess. This is a Good Thing. I love chess, and I love that it is an excellent thinking tool for him. He has been giving the local chess club a whirl, and is getting his arse whooped on a weekly basis by chess boffins. This week he came home with a book of chess puzzles for juniors, and tips for 'the Italian game'. He has just played me a game whilst referring to the latter, and made short work of my puny efforts. I am feeling decidedly beaten and inferior. ~And it's Mother's Day which makes my defeat Not Fair. He should have let me win. sulk.
Anyway, I don't believe in Mother's Day, never have. But it has not stopped me graciously accepting these offerings,
nor popping on my PJs and guzzling a glass of wine in the middle of the day because 'it is Mother's Day you know.' Ha ha. Hypocrisy is my middle name.
Incidentally, I had already managed to scoff all of the Maltesers in four handfuls by the time I took the above photo. It is Mother's Day you know.
The book, as far as I gather, is about Anne Boleyn, who I admire greatly for her tenacity and cunning, although in reality I think she would have scared me silly back in the 16th century. You just didn't mess with her. And I have three tawdry rags to enjoy. Sigh. I just love Hello magazine. I can ignore the obsequious editorial for the access to the glitz and glamour of the celeb echelons it offers. And they never say nasty stuff. And I like that. It is restful after the spite and bile of Heat magazine.
Tried to find a replacement for these today:
I know they look filthy and smelly and as if they belong to the local vagrant, but they are very comfortable, were very cheap and are my work shoes. And, actually, they do not smell at all. Can I find a pair like it? Can I buggery. I think of them in my mind as school shoes, and so have been frequenting the type of shitty shop that sells such footwear, but over the last twelve months this design has morphed into shiny black plastic with pointy toes. This pisses me off intensely. Feet are not pointy. Feet are rounded at the front, and therefore school shoes should be too. I am thinking of complaining bitterly. To whom, I have no idea yet.
Well done to Oliver for getting into chess. Always slightly awes me as a game. Love your mothering Sunday offerings - I too love Anne Boleyn so must lay my hands on that book also Maltesers which are one of God's greatest inventions as far as I am concerned and have No Calories because a) it's Mother's Day and b) because of all the air gaps! Well that's my theory anyway! H and I have been guzzling homemade ice cream on the same assumption over our favourite film of all time although there aren't so many air gaps unfortunately! You have my complete sympathy re the shoes - one ought to buy two pairs at the time of discovery but how can one know that the pair of shoes just alighted upon will be the most comfortable pair ever and will be discontinued by the time the first pair have worn out? Paradoxically the pair that you think will be really comfortable and do buy two pairs of turns up to pinch and generate blisters and you can't wait for them to wear out. This model of course you can buy in perpetuity! SO frustrating. Happy Mother's Day Evening anyway! E x
ReplyDeleteDying to know what the favourite film of all time is...??
Delete"The Eagle Has Landed"! We know the script so well we don't even need the sound! I find the Mr Devlin character with his dyed hair and erratic loyalties rather irritating ditto Molly, the character played by Jenny Agutter, but this is more than made up for by Michael Caine at his very best, Donald Pleasance as Himmler and a highly entertaining, bravura performance by Larry Hagman as the American Col. We love the music and watch it every school holiday without fail! E x
DeleteGlad you accepted your mother day's gifts graciously lol (they look perfect to me) well done to Oliver and the chess, a game that I have never grasped the full rules of but enjoy playing to my level when I can bully someone into playing with me!! Have you tried Brantano for those shoes - it you have one near by? x
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea Karen, thanks!
DeleteI have never learnt to play chess so am in awe of anyone who can make their brains work that way...no space in mine these days.. or inclination to be fair! Always nice though when kids find something you can enjoy together and their ability to beat you certainly puts life into perspective for you doesn't it..! I liked Anne Boleyn too, though have not read about her that much, and I like Hello too, it is a hair dresser read and yes, funny how they manage to be so nice about everyone.. and if you read several copies in one session you can get the engagement, break-up and new found love all in one hair session!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the shoe thing, I have been known to buy two pairs the same.. works well xx
I picked up a pair of shoes somthing like your pair in Marks & Spencers last week. Clarks also do that style.
ReplyDeleteDidn't think of good old M&S, thanks. I did see a pair in Clarks that would probably do the job, but I am far too much of a tightarse to pay that much.
ReplyDelete