A Toast to the Lassies

It’s Burns Night on 25th January and one of the important things about celebrating the life of the Bard is to toast to the Lassies (ladies).  This got me thinking about what Rabbie Burns might think about blogging, and in particular some of the ladies whose blogs I follow and in turn follow mine.

Now I never prepare a post ahead of time.  I always write my post of the day in my tea break or lunch break.  It’s the only time in the day I can squeeze in writing. However this post popped into my head about a week ago and I’d planned to post it on 25th. Anyhow the upshot is it’s been a bit of a day (see my previous post) so for some lighthearted entertainment I thought I would finish it and post it today. So here’s a toast to the lassies (who blog) – at least my take on it.

Now Robert had an eye for the ladies, in song and bed and rhyme
I’m sure if he was a blogger he’d hit the subscribe button every time
Every time that is he discovered some of the lassies who ‘follow’ me
Who write and laugh and encourage in a virtual world dear to me.

Take Pat now she’s a blogger with a kind and gentle soul
Reflecting on life’s changes and making her life whole.
Pat’s a retired teacher so you will know that makes her smart
Always viewing life’s upside she has down to a fine art.

Caroline is a marvel, our own personal life coach
She laughs about life’s meltdowns in informative witty posts.
It’s guaranteed that she’ll surprise you and be sure to challenge you too
To always look on the positives in everything you do.

Cerridwen with her cauldron and Arthurian facts of the day
Keeps us going with her energy in her own very special way
There’s not much could stop Carridwen not even the big C
She’s a lady on a mission and an inspiration to little old me.

Joanna’s a gentle blogger, with posts that are thoughtful and kind.
With carefully chosen photos of natures gifts she finds.
Importantly she’s a student and her highs and lows she’ll share
In ways that makes us students appreciate her flair.

Of course there’s lovely Rosie a smart, musical lady with a twist
Whose posts are quite extensive, listen well to catch her drift.
Rosie’s also studying, and working hard to get ahead
But sometimes she would rather just play banjo in her bed.

Now some bloggers names are funny but respect I give to that
So I don’t hesitate including “Poor Cow” a sassy lady whose is smart
Best known to us as Lady E she lives over there in France
And always ends her posts with music to make you dance.

Vix’s blog is punchy and keeps you laughing and on your toes
She blogs about her household and the craziness indoors
Now Vix’s blog comes with a warning, don’t read when drinking tea
You’ll laugh and it’ll come down your nose or land right on your knee.

And then of course there’s the Pimpernel, battling with her PhD
She shares her tales of academia with the likes of you and me
Pimpernel will tackle the tough stuff like procrastination and how to survive
Up to her neck in research this is a lady who know how to strive.

This takes us neatly onto ‘Angry Pear‘, who fills my day with joy
Illustrated by the talented Drew you’ll find ‘Pear’ is never coy.
She is however angry about how the world ends up treating Pear
Wrapped up in illustrations touched by humour that is rare.

And moving on to Lynda who is as dotty as can be
But not because I say so – it’s how she describes her life to me
Her posts will have you laughing and she always packs them in
I suspect she’s found the formula to ensure her readers always grin.

Jane you’ll find is a lady whose life is more than full
She works restoring furniture but squeezes in writing as a rule
I’ve only recently found Jane, and I’m awfully glad I have
Posting about ‘The Dating Game’ make it hard to stifle a laugh.

Last but not least there’s Lorna a blogger extraordinaire
Who weaves her tales with wisdom and a very special flair
This is the first blog that I subscribed to and I’m awful glad of that
Especially as this lady pulls A+ post out of her hat.

Alas my poem must end there, my boss is watching now you see
He hears my tickity tack typing yet looks suspiciously at little old me
He suspects that I’m not working on that report that needs to be done
That I’m sitting in my office just blogging and having fun.

Oh wait he’s just gone out, so a few more stanza’s I will write
Although with my powers of rhyming they might be a little light
Ah now another word you thought I’d use - a rude word in this rhyme
But remember my muse is Rabbie and so I’ll keep it clean this time.

Finally for those bloggers I’ve not included in my poem
Know that you are in my thoughts and to your blogs I’ll continue to roam
I enjoy reading your ramblings your highs and lows and stuff
And your wonderful ways of conquering the things in life that are tough.

So this toast to all you lassies who blog and keep me sane
I wish you well in your writing and your ‘follower’ I will remain
My blog it is my sanctuary where I come to write each day
And I’m glad that you’ve stuck with me – this blogger’s here to stay.

“To the Lassies”

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone….

As most of you will know my husband and I care for my 94-year-old mother in law who lives with us.  Yesterday at the day care centre she collapsed and was rushed to hospital. Firstly I should say that on the face of it the situation doesn’t seem serious – although that depends on whether you consider being rushed to hospital as serious or not. Apparently the root cause was a reaction to new medication recently prescribed.  However thankfully with the excellent and speedy care she received my mother in law sailed through the incident.  In actual fact, speaking with her in hospital last night, she doesn’t remember a thing.

Of course this kind of trauma impacts on everyone.  My husband, bless him, arrived promptly at the day care centre following the call to say that his mum had taken ill.  Peter arrived before the ambulance and was able to be on hand to care for his mum in his usual controlled and unflappable manner.  Peter’s an ex-policeman and let me tell you in a crisis he is a dream to have by your side.  Importantly his mum knows this and I have no doubt that his presence was invaluable.

Peter and I are pretty good at this caring lark.  We cope with most situations and as we’re fairly creative people we find ourselves able to adapt to ensure that things tick along just fine.  It just goes to show you though you never know the minute when all your priorities need to change.

It is this juggle that underpins what it’s like to be a carer.  Our job, in visiting the hospital last night, was to be a supportive force.  Of course on the face of it my mother in law was fine, but scratch the surface and you see an elderly lady who experienced a significant trauma.

Part of what you do as a carer is to try to keep everything as normal as possible – in all situations.  Both my husband and I are adept at going into ‘nothing is a problem mode’.   I breezed into the hospital last night with a bag full of ‘how to survive a stay in hospital’ gear for my mother in law.  Unpacking the bag, because her sight is very poor, I was relaying what I was taking out of the bag.  When I got to ‘hair-net’ she started laughing, “Oh I think I’m way past hair-net“, she said.

So it appears in this constantly changing life that Peter and I aren’t the only ones with the ability to keep everything as normal as possible – my mother in law it seem was more than capable of rising to this challenge too.

So here’s to adaptable people who have it firmly fixed in their head that they are going to meet life’s challenges with dignity and a pinch of humour – just not with their hair net on.